Rydia: Heart and Heartache
by Aegis Runestone
Summary: Rydia of Mist starts a school for summoners to restore the lost bloodline of summoners. Two years since Cecil and Rosa's marriage have passed, and suddenly Rydia finds Kain on the mountainside of Mist. Coercing him into returning to Baron, an adventure of love and shattered dreams follows the summoner-adding a new tale to the earth's history.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy IV, nor Square-Enix's characters such as Rydia, Kain, Cecil, etc. They belong to Square-Enix. This is just a fan work dedicated to my all-time favorite game. Also, I **did not **steal any ideas from FFIV: The After Years. This is my own story, written up from my own ideas._

Rydia: Heart and Heartache

Chapter 1

As the school bell rang, the door burst open and a congregation of children ran out into the roads of Mist. Rydia let go of the bell's rope and rushed to the open doorway.

"Have a good day, children! Don't get into any trouble!" she called.

Some of her students turned around and waved at her. Rydia waved back, a pleasant smile spreading onto her face. They then turned around and ran into the town. She was very pleased; her pupils had worked hard today, and she wondered which one had that potential inside of them.

Musing to herself, she walked back into the school house—which was also her home—and closed the door. Her entire home had been remodeled to meet her needs. Her old living room, which had consisted of a small space with a fireplace, had been expanded into a spacious room with many tables scattered around the room.

With her living room expanded, Rydia had moved her private living quarters to the back of the house. A door, which she kept bolted during class, now stood between the classroom and her chamber.

Sitting down at one of the tables, Rydia played with the plain brass ring on her finger. _Mother..._ she thought. She no longer cried when she thought of her mother. Instead, she felt a strange sensation of regret and love, combined into one emotion.

She took the ring off her finger and gazed at it. _I hope you're proud of me, mother. I still have your ring._ Rydia placed the ring back on her finger, and sighed. Other thoughts that disturbed her entered into her head. _Perhaps a stroll down town will help me clear my mind._

She stood up, and opened the door to the house. _Ah, nothing like a sunny afternoon. Today is a good day._ Running her fingers through her green hair, Rydia walked down the road toward the central square of Mist.

_This town has really grown since the Bomb Ring incident._ Mist had been simple village when she was a child. Then, a ring had been delivered by a Dark Knight named Cecil, and a dragoon named Kain. Although Rydia didn't know then that they had not expected the ring to release Bombs, and set the village on fire, as a child, she attacked them in her summoner rage.

_All the summoners... supposedly died._ But Rydia didn't believe it. She knew someone in this town, maybe one of her students, could summon eidolons again.

She shook her head. _I thought I was out for a walk to clear my mind._ She took in a deep breath and turned her thoughts elsewhere.

The central square was busy as usual. Rydia saw trading caravans from Baron, Damcyan, and Kaipo.

She smiled as she gazed upon the various merchant stands and the great inn that had been renovated after the Bomb Ring destruction.

_Thank you, Cecil,_ she thought, clasping her hands together. _This dream of mine wouldn't have been possible without you._

Then, a woman—one of the mothers of her students—ran up to her from the fountain with gossiping ladies. Rydia swallowed, she knew what was coming.

"Oh, Miss Rydia! It's so good to see you!" the woman, named Elena, said."My daughter has been talking about you all day since class ended. She's hoping she'll be able to summon a chocobo soon! I'm so grateful!" She clasped her hands together. "You've really brought this town back to life!"

"Thank you," Rydia said with a smile. _Good, that subject hasn't come up yet._

"You're wonderful with children," she continued. The summoner bit her lip. "I know you're young, but you should get married!"

She groaned. _Not this again!_ "I'm only twenty-one years old, Elena," Rydia tried to say as kindly as possible. "I don't think it's time for me to—"

"Oh, but Miss Rydia," Elena smiled with excitement. "You've heard the rumors. Prince Edward of Damcyan is interested in you. Surely, a prince must catch your interest!"

Rydia wanted to slap herself in the face. _Wrong Edward._ "Uh... last I checked, Edward was still rebuilding his castle."

"He's almost finished with the repairs I've heard," Elena persisted. "That is, because our blessed king provided the funds." She gazed at the summoner with such longing eyes. "Oh, you should get married to him. It would be a great help to our city."

"I'll... consider it," Rydia lied. "Excuse me, I need to continue my walk. I... I'm very tired from my work today. Again, thank you for your kind words, but I must be off."

"All right," Elena said, beaming. She waved good-bye to the summoner and then returned to the fountain with her gossiping friends.

She sighed, and took a deep breath. _It's not like I don't want to get married... I just don't feel ready yet._

Rydia changed her direction from the town and went to outskirts. Many trees lined the mountain side of Mist. She walked over the green field that had slowly been pushed away from the extension of the town. She hoped that it wouldn't go any further.

There was a stump sitting in the middle of field. Rydia smiled. _I remember this stump. I came here a lot._ She sat down on it, and began to let her thoughts leave her mental state for a moment. Her body and shoulders relaxed, and she let out a calm sigh.

After several moments, not knowing the time that had passed, Rydia came to herself, feeling peaceful and refreshed. She smiled, finally letting go of all her troubles. _This feels... good._

Rydia looked down at the stump and patted its roots. "You and I have spent a lot of time together, eh? Remember that day when I brought my students here? It was their first day at my school."

-S-

Rydia and the children gathered around the stump in a circle. It was just past noon, and the children had all eaten their lunch.

"All right, children," she said. "We're going to go around the circle, starting on my left, and introduce each other by name and our favorite hobby. Ready?"

"Ready, Miss Rydia!" the children chorused.

One by one, they went around the circle doing as she had asked them. Some were excited, others were shy. Regardless, once they had finished, a girl raised her hand.

"Yes, Milina? What is it?" Rydia asked with a gentle voice.

"My mommy told me that you were almost eaten by a big snake once!" Milina said, blinking. "Is it true?"

There was a chorus of "wows" and rapid talking among the students. Some of them (mostly boys) looked excited. Others looked concerned—fearful even.

Rydia's face split into a smile. "It is true," she said. She heard many gasps among her pupils. "It's all right. His name is Leviathan, and he is the king of the eidolons. I was a child like all of you at the time, and I was headed on my way to Baron with Cecil." Rydia raised a finger. "Then our ship was attacked, and I was thrown overboard into the sea."

"Oh no!" one girl said.

"Don't worry, I'm still here, aren't I?" she couldn't help but giggle, spreading smiles over the faces of her students. "Anyway, Leviathan swallowed me and took me to the land of the eidolons: the Feymarch. There he spit me out."

"That sounds yucky," another girl remarked.

Rydia nodded. "It was... a little disgusting. However, Leviathan told me why he had brought me to the Feymarch: to counter the evil Cecil and my friends were facing." She grinned. "Although Leviathan looks soo _scary,_" she said, wiggling her fingers. "He was a very kind person, and a great teacher. Because of his teachings, I became a powerful summoner."

"He taught you? Were you scared?" one boy asked.

"Yes, he did. I was scared only for a little while," Rydia said, resting her chin upon her hands. "But I became used to the Feymarch. There were monsters there, too, but they were all very friendly and kind to me."

The children looked astonished, and it seemed like they didn't know what to say. There was a long silence until Milina spoke up again.

"Wait, if you were a child... mommy also told me that two years ago you helped the paladin beat the bad guys!" she said. "How come you're all grown up now?"

"Hmm..." Rydia wasn't sure how to explain. _This concept may be beyond their understanding._ _I have to try, though._

"Well," she said, clearing her throat. "You know how a clock moves its arms, right? To tell the time?" Her students nodded. "And after that we have days, then weeks, then months, and then years." Her students looked at her with curiosity. "Well, in the Feymarch time goes by more slowly inside it than outside of it."

"What do you mean, Miss Rydia?"

"Well, basically, when I was there, I spent twelve years in the Feymarch while my friends had only been separated from me for two months." Her students still looked confused. "Okay, this isn't accurate, but say you're here, and it's been an hour. In the Feymarch, that would be like a week has passed."

"Oh!" the group of students said. Rydia smiled with relief; they all smiled back at her.

"All right," she said. "It's getting late, it's time for you all to go home. Tomorrow, I'll start teaching the basics of summoning eidolons."

-S-

"That was a few days ago, wasn't it?" Rydia said to the stump. It had been a week since then and there had been little progress, but she wasn't going to give up. A smile spread over her face as she thought of her school.

Then, another thought crossed her mind. _Edge..._ The other Edward—Edward 'Edge' Geraldine, the prince of Eblan; the kingdom of ninjas. She sighed; sure, sometimes he was annoying, but over the past two years, Rydia had grown comfortable around him.

There was a problem, though; Edge wanted to marry her. He was willing to wait until she was ready (which she appreciated), but he also wanted to keep her dream of reviving the summoner bloodline alive; which meant she needed to continue to teach.

Edge had been pondering over ideas of how to compensate the two. One of his ideas was to let her go teach in the morning, and then pick her up in the afternoon back to Eblan. However, before even Rydia could see the problem, Edge did.

_"If I did that," _he had said. _"Then you wouldn't be able to see the kids if they wanted some __more time with you—extracurricular stuff—and if I needed you for a court in the morning, you wouldn't be there."_

_ "Edge..."_

_ "Argh... Rydia, sometimes I wish I wasn't a prince. There's not a girl in the world like you. I love you, but I don't want to shatter that dream of yours."_

Rydia smiled at the thought of that memory, but then frowned. _What do I do?_ She wondered. _What can I do? If I become a queen, then..._

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of battle coming from the mountainside. The growling of monsters and the battle cry of the warrior that sounded so familiar to her.

Rydia got up and ran around the trees over to the ledge up the mountainside. She made a sharp turn and saw an ugly display of monster corpses on the ground. Above them stood a knight—a dragon knight, also known as a 'dragoon.'

The summoner smiled as she looked upon the dragoon. He was armored head to toe in blue armor made of dragon scales, and the armor even looked like it. His helmet had a pair of small dragon wings on either side. In his left hand, he held a white lance that glowed with a blue aura.

Rydia walked up to him—his back still turned to her. It had been a long time since she had seen Kain.

-S-

Kain wiped the blood off his lance. Frustrated, he noticed that he didn't even sweat once during combat. _There must be something more challenging than this!_ he thought.

"Well, well, well..." a voice said behind Kain. He turned around to see a beautiful woman with shining green hair that he hardly recognized.

While her outfit was still a deep green in color, the rest of her clothing had changed. No longer were her arm-drapes plain green, but they were a translucent green, and they hung from her long sleeves at each end. The sleeves did not cover her shoulders, however. At the end of each side of her sleeves were golden cuffs. Her neckline was noticeably higher now, revealing little. Her hair was a bit shorter, and her hairclip now carried a ruby in it instead of a sapphire. The only thing that was the same were her knee-high boots.

"... Rydia?" Kain said. "You look... very regal in that outfit."

She smiled. "Thank you, Kain."

_She remembered my name?_ "What are you doing here?"

Rydia cocked a friendly smile and folded her arms. "I was about to ask you that same question. Last I heard of you, you had left for Mt. Ordeals. Now... maybe you don't realize it, but you're on the mountainside just south of Mist."

"I see. It doesn't matter why I am here though." Kain turned away from her. "... the Light at Mt. Ordeals held nothing for me. Therefore, I left, and went across different mountains in the world, seeking a challenge. But all of that is of no import to you."

He could hear her walking slowly towards him. "Really? I don't know about that; one of my friends goes 'missing' for over two years is rather important to me."

Kain looked at the ground. "I'm no friend, I'm a traitor."

He heard her sigh with disbelief. "Are you seriously telling me that you're still berating yourself over that, Kain? I guess you didn't go to Baron on your travels then?"

"Why would I?" He said, slamming the butt of his lance on the ground, and gripping it tightly.

"Kain..." said her gentle voice. "Cecil and Rosa... they miss you."

He frowned. "I'm not worthy to speak with them."

"Oh please..." Rydia said, sounding a little concerned. "Don't do this to yourself, Kain. Leave yourself behind and go see others. You'll go insane if you keep living alone."

"I am not returning to Baron until I am ready." He gripped his lance firmly and started to walk away. Then he heard a chant behind him and Rydia appeared in front of him. He grit his teeth. "You're quite stubborn about this."

"Listen to me," Rydia said gently. "I don't think a month, no—even a week, that goes by without Cecil saying 'I wish Kain were here.' Besides, you know everyone has forgiven you; even Edge has. Really, they want you back, Kain."

He wanted to refuse, but the kindness in her voice made him think twice. _Is this really true? Do they want me to return? After all I've done, conscious of my own sins and not even acting against them?_

"... Kain?"

He blinked, and he realized that he had been silent for some time. "... You're not going to let me go, are you?" His grip on the lance loosened. "Very well. I will return to Baron."

Rydia smiled brightly. "Do you mind if I come with you then?" she asked. "I haven't seen them in awhile myself."

"As you wish, m'lady."

She chuckled. "No need to call me that. Come, let's go."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The sun was setting over the horizon. Rydia and Kain had just exited the southern opening leading into the Cave of Mist. The summoner had kept a curious eye on the dragoon thus far, watching his actions and words. Together, they headed south, side-by-side, for the chocobo forest to find a couple to ride. Kain's lance was still strapped to his back, while Rydia had her whip—a dragon's whisker—coiled at her waist.

She had packed some bags before leaving, just one shoulder bag this time. Kain had stayed at the edge of town, insisting he didn't want to be seen. He had promised her he would wait. And he did.

"It's going to be late night by the time we reach Baron, Rydia, and it has already been several hours since we left Mist. Are you certain that this is appropriate?"

"Don't worry, the guards will recognize me, and might even recognize you," she said calmly.

"And if they don't?" Kain's voice was skeptical.

"Then explain who are. If they don't believe you, then I will just back you up." She smiled. "Two witnesses are better than one."

Kain was silent for some time before Rydia turned her head towards him. "Is something the matter?"

"It is nothing, nothing at all." He didn't even look at her.

_Is he worried? Wondering about how Cecil and Rosa will respond to him?_ Rydia sighed, and put her hands behind her head. "Well, you're going to see some new and interesting things at the castle, Kain."

"Hmm?" Kain looked at her.

"Cecil did away with the Dark Knights, and replaced them with men who are trained with the sword of light."

"That is not surprising," Kain said, looking away. "Though, how on earth did he ever find another paladin? I was certain he was the only one."

"Oh, they aren't paladins," Rydia said, placing her hands behind her back. "Just 'Knights of the Light' or 'Sun Knights' as Cecil calls them. They don't have any magical powers. Cecil only found a way to instill the power of light within their weapons without having to surrender any of his own."

"I see. I assume that the Red Wings and the Baron dragoons are still there, however." His voice lacked confidence.

"That's correct." Rydia nodded. _What's wrong with him? He acts like everything related to him has been blotted out._ "The current commander of the Baron dragoons is... well..." She cocked her head to one side. "At least, according to Cecil, he's not up to your caliber, Kain."

Even with that dragoon mask on, Rydia could tell that Kain was surprised by this information. He nearly stumbled over a rock; a rare occurrence for a seasoned warrior like him.

"... 'caliber', you say?" He straightened himself and cast a curious glance at Rydia. "Why would he say that?"

Rydia laughed. "Because he knows you and your skills as a dragoon and a leader." She looked at him with a smile. "Cecil said you were a talented one."

For the first time, she saw Kain smile. _That's better! _she thought. _He doesn't seem as depressed as I thought._

"Come," He said. "We must make haste to the forest if we are to reach Baron before midnight."

-S-

A couple of hours later, they reached the chocobo forest. Inside, the yellow birds, large enough to ride, were busy pecking at and eating the gyshal greens in the forest. It was a small place, probably not large enough to actually be considered a 'forest'; but ever since the days that that chocobos were discovered, the people had called their homes by that name, no matter how small they were.

Kain never had a love for the creatures, but nor did he hate them. They had an odd smell to them that was difficult to describe, save that it was usually unpleasant. "Wild ones... these will be difficult to ride." He frowned, gazing around the circular opening in the woods where the birds were grazing.

Rydia half-smiled at him. "Don't be alarmed. I have ridden many wild ones in order to visit Cecil and Rosa." He watched as she took a leaf from a tree, and began to lure a chocobo to her. _Shouldn't she be using the greens to attract them? _ He wondered. It worked, however, and the chocobo went to the summoner.

"Ah!" She yelped as the bird grabbed at the leaf. Rydia withdrew her hand immediately before the chocobo could take a bite. Kain saw her examine her hand carefully, and he was relieved to see no blood on it.

"I thought you were good at this," He said.

Rydia gave him a warning glance. "Well, I'm a summoner, not a chocobo trainer. At least it came to me."

"Do you desire some assistance getting on, Rydia?"

She snorted lightly with a smile. "It's not a bother for me, but thank you, Kain." She leaped up onto the chocobo's back. The bird made a loud "wark!" before rearing up. However, the summoner caught hold of the neck and managed to keep herself from being thrown off. Kain rushed over to help, but by the time he arrived, somehow Rydia had calmed the creature down.

"Impressive. I've never seen anyone tame a wild one without using any gyshal greens first," Kain said, looking up at Rydia.

"Well, I cheated." She giggled. "I used the same incantation that I recite to summon a chocobo, except that I don't actually perform the summon. It seems to soothe the wild ones."

"Indeed that it does," the dragoon responded. He looked at the sky, and saw the twilit sky with few stars. "I best get my own so we can make our way to Baron quickly." He still felt uneasy about seeing Cecil and Rosa again.

Kain walked cautiously to one of the chocobos on the other side of the woods. Running would just startle the bird, and he desired not to waste any more time. Taking some gyshal greens from the grass he approached the bird and offered them to it.

The chocobo looked at Kain curiously, but then took a small bite from the greens. The dragoon patted and stroked the animal's neck before climbing onto its back. It did not rear like Rydia's had, instead, it appeared to be enjoying its meal. _It appears I stroked it in the right place._

"Well, well!" He heard Rydia from the other side of the woods. "You seem to have some skill with chocobos, Kain! I didn't expect that."

"It's merely basic knowledge about how to capture a wild one," He explained. "Experts can easily catch a wild chocobo and ride it without needing to use the greens, or so I've heard." Noticing her interest in the subject, Kain said, "Let's not linger, lest we do not reach Baron before midnight."

He saw Rydia nod in agreement and with that, the two rode the chocobos out of the forest and out onto the fields.

Kain found himself swerving left and right occasionally and had to focus on the chocobo in order to keep the bird from going in every direction. It was a challenge for him, but eventually he became accustomed to the bird's erratic motions and found himself able to gaze into the distance at Baron Castle.

He felt the wind press against his face as he rode, but it did not bother him. He glanced back to see how Rydia was fairing and saw that the summoner was keeping up with him. However, her hair appeared a bit messy, probably from her own difficulty in controlling her chocobo.

Even after a few minutes of riding, Kain could see the castle in the distance. What he saw, surprised him. The castle had several towers now instead of just the east and west towers. The castle itself seemed to be slightly larger than he remembered it, and he wondered how Cecil had made so many improvements in over two years.

_Perhaps, I will find out when I arrive._

-S-

Cecil Harvey looked out over the battlements atop the top roof of Baron Castle. He watched the distant moon, which had once had a twin two years ago before vanishing from the night sky. A part of him longed for the sight of the second moon. Yet, the other half of him felt at ease upon the ground of his planet.

He recalled his father's words during his trial to become a holy knight. _"A paladin's heart knows no malice..."_ his father had said, and Cecil smiled. The gentle breeze brushed across his face and let his white cape sway gently in the wind. He felt at ease, peaceful. _The kingdom is running smoothly, and my light knights are keeping to their training. And Cid with his men have kept the Red Wings in good shape, _he thought.

One thing bothered him though; the dragoons. The commander was only semi-competent, and the state of his forces was beginning to dwindle. _So few want to join the dragoons these days. I'm sure this would grieve Kain to see this, wherever he is._

With a sigh, Cecil recalled the day of his marriage; Kain had been the only one who did not come. Two years had passed, and still, he wished that Kain would return from his training, or at least visit the castle.

"Dear?" a female voice called behind him.

Cecil turned around, and faced his wife, Rosa Farrel Harvey. She was a beautiful woman with blond hair and green eyes. She was wearing her lavish white, regal garments and her white cape that spread out behind her. Upon her head was a royal tiara made of silver and gold.

"What is it, love?" Cecil asked. He walked over to her.

"Aren't you coming to bed? It's getting late."

"Yes, I was just relaxing after training my knights, today." He stroked her shoulder affectionately. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

"All right." Rosa smiled. They leaned towards each other and shared a kiss. "I'll be waiting for you." She turned around and went down the stairs leading into the lower level of the castle.

Cecil sighed, and then faced the moon again. It wasn't long before he heard footsteps approach him.

"Your majesty?" the voice of a soldier asked.

Cecil turned to face the soldier. He was garbed in the same uniform of every Baron soldier, save the knights and the dragoons. He wore purple scale mail, and a gold helmet. A long spear was held tightly in his hand.

"What is it?" Cecil said. The soldier seemed to be slightly uneasy about something.

"Two people have approached the castle on chocobos, m'lord. A man and woman. They desire to seek an audience with you."

Cecil blinked. "Can you identify them?"

"One of them has the appearance of an armed dragoon," the soldier explained. "And the other is a woman clothed in green."

_A dragoon? I don't remember sending any dragoons out of the castle today. Could it be...?_ Hiding his surprise, he asked, "does the woman have hair of the same color?"

"Yes, my liege."

Cecil half-smiled. "Very well, take me to the main gate. I want to see them myself."

"Begging your pardon, your majesty, but is this safe? It is unknown whether the dragoon is ours and he is heavily armed."

"It will be fine, soldier. Besides, he is with Miss Rydia, if I'm not mistaken. Most women do not wear such a color that matches their hair perfectly." He began to walk down the stairs, the soldier following him. "And do not worry, if it is a foe, I have my sword to defend myself with." He patted the holy sword, Ragnarok, sheathed at his side.

"Very well, my liege."

Baron did not have enemies these days. The times of war had passed with the death of the evil lunarian, Zemus, who had caused Cecil, his friends, and entire planet much pain and heartache. Over two years ago, he was slain upon the second moon, and although the spirit of hatred, Zeromus rose to extinguish all life, Cecil and his allies defeated him in a ferocious battle. With the passing of Zemus and Zeromus, the paladin's planet had not seen war since.

Nevertheless, Cecil sought to keep peace by maintaining a large army in case a war erupted again; the world would not be threatened again under his watchful eye.

After traveling through the lower levels of the castle, Cecil passed over the grassy courtyard near the entrance. The courtyard was a large area that covered the entire front of the inner castle. One side was for training only, and the other was a garden. A stone road in the middle divided the sections.

When Cecil and the soldier reached the gate, he turned to the soldier and asked, "do you have night duty?"

"No, my liege."

"Then you are dismissed to your quarters. Sleep well," Cecil added with a smile. The soldier bowed before him and then headed back into the castle.

He turned to the guards. "Open the gate."

"Yes, your majesty!" The guards moved away from the guards, and pressed the switches on each side of the gate. Slowly, the gate rose into the slit in the stone arch above him.

Cecil advanced without hesitation as the entrance was open. He heard the two guards walking behind him, their metal armor clinking faintly as they strode. The paladin welcomed their intent to protect him, but had a feeling that there was nothing to fear from the man and the woman.

They were just as the guard had described them, a dragoon armed with a long lance strapped to his back, and a woman wearing green robes. Cecil noted the whip coiled at her side. Behind them were two chocobos, grazing the grass at the front of Baron's drawbridge.

The woman approached him with a bright smile on her face, however, the dragoon did not move from his spot. Cecil heard the guards advance, but he stopped them with his arms. "Go back to your posts, I can handle this," he told his guards. The men hesitated, but then did as they were told.

The woman ran forward and wrapped her arms around Cecil's neck quite happily. He couldn't help but smile. "It's good to see you again, Rydia. It has been over a month since we last saw you, correct?"

"Yes, it has," she said, letting go of Cecil. "I brought someone here to meet you."

"I noticed." _If that really is Kain... then..._ Cecil kept his excitement leveled. _After all this time..._

"Do you know who he is?" Rydia asked. He noted the eager smile on her face.

"I have a guess." Cecil chuckled. "His armor and his lance are both awfully familiar. Not to mention the way he has set his hair."

Even in the darkness of the night, the paladin could tell that he had been watching them. Rydia turned around and looked over at the dragoon, and called to him, "Kain, come over here! Cecil wants to see you."

Cecil restrained himself from running out and hugging his old friend. Instead, he watched as Kain walked up to the summoner and the paladin slowly.

A smile spread onto his face. "Kain..." he said slowly.

To Cecil's surprise, the dragoon suddenly fell to his knees and bowed his head before the paladin. "I am... at your service... your majesty."

Cecil pulled him to his feet. "Now, now. I'll have none of that, old friend. It would be very uncomfortable for you to worship me like His Late Majesty."

"But—"

Cecil smiled. "Don't argue, Kain." He paused, and patted his friend on the shoulders. "Welcome home, welcome back to Baron."

"Thank you... Cecil."

"Come, I'll get you and Rydia places to rest for the night, and we'll show you the rest of the castle tomorrow. It has changed since you were last here." With that Cecil led his friend and the summoner up to the main castle gate, and into the castle itself.

-S-

The next day, Kain was standing above the courtyard on the balcony of the first floor. He examined the courtyard laid out between the main gate, and the entrance to the main part of the castle. The garden on the east side of the courtyard was beautifully arrayed with flowers of all kinds set in different patterns and positions all around. He knew it was most likely Rosa's doing. He remembered that she had always wanted a garden in Baron, and apparently, Cecil obliged her.

_Rosa..._ he thought longingly. _I have not seen you in years._ Yet, she was married now, Kain knew that. Even still, his heart would accelerate every time he thought of her.

Kain heard a clash of blades to his right and he looked over to see that the west side of the courtyard, there were knights in radiant white armor exchanging blows with gleaming white swords. _Those are the Knights of Light Rydia mentioned. I wonder where the dragoons train?_ He peered around the new castle.

In the old castle, the dragoons trained near the east tower. However, the castle had changed enough that he wasn't sure anymore. It seemed that the area where the dragoons had once trained had been enlarged for something else. Knowing Cecil and Cid, Kain assumed it was a landing zone for airships like the Red Wings.

"Kain!" a female voice called.

He turned his head to his left and saw Cecil and Rosa approaching him. He turned completely to face the couple. Cecil was still wearing his blue crystal armor with a white cape behind him. A crown of silver adored his head, and Kain could see that he still carried Ragnarok with him.

But it was Rosa that truly caught the dragoon's attention. She looked as beautiful as he remembered—lovely green eyes and long silk-like blond hair. Kain caught his breath before it could escape as he gazed upon her. He eyed her hands and noticed the wedding ring on her right hand. He cringed at the sight of it.

"Is there something the matter, Kain?" Cecil asked.

Returning to his senses, he said, "no. I am merely... tired from my journey yesterday."

"I imagine it was a long one," Rosa said. "Traveling from Mist to here would be tiring for even the strongest. Even so, I'm glad to see you again, Kain."

"As... I am... to see you, Rosa." _That's all I can manage... she's... Cecil's now._

"So, what would you like to see in the new castle?" Cecil asked him. "It's still a little under construction, but mostly completed."

"I'm curious to see where the dragoons train," Kain responded. "It appears where they used to train has been... replaced. I have not seen any of them there even though your... Sun Knights seem to be already training."

Cecil smiled. "Sounds like Rydia already told you about my Knights of Light. Very well. I'll take you to the Dragoon Platform that was erected between the newer towers."

_Dragoon Platform?_ He raised his brow curiously at Cecil.

He chuckled. "You'll see. Come!" He beckoned with his hand toward the towers, and then began to walk in that direction.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Kain was led to the Dragoon Platform between the towers. _How did I not notice this before? _He wondered. There, he could see many novice dragoons with iron spears training against dummies. To Kain's dismay, the novices were failing horribly to strike their targets.

"See?" Cecil said. "While I'm not familiar with dragoon training, even for novices, they just..."

Kain could see what Cecil meant. The novices were not jumping properly to strike from the air. Then, he saw the Commander, dressed in red and gold. The Commander was putting his face in his hands, growling in frustration.

"No, no, no!" the commander shouted. "What is wrong with you all?"

_What? Doesn't he understand?_

Kain walked forward next to the Commander. The man looked at him and his jaw dropped. "Are you...? Could you be...?"

He didn't look at him. Instead, Kain said with a loud voice, "no! You must put your strength into your legs, and arms, and not use your body with them. Also, extravagant flips in the air are unnecessary, and will cause you to miss your target!"

The novices stopped their training and stared at Kain with wide eyes. He could hear that some of them were breathing rapidly.

The dragoon Commander scowled at Kain. "Look! I may know who you are, but _I am_ the Commander around here!" He approached him and looked the dragoon in the eye. "I already taught them about using their legs and arms!"

"Yet, I can tell that they use their bodies for jumping as well," Kain said with a calm voice. "You also should have known about flipping in the air; it creates misdirection for a dragoon to strike his target."

"You...!" The Commander raised his fist.

Then, Cecil stepped between them. "No, that's enough!" He looked at the Commander. "Ran, it's all right. Kain here is merely teaching them how he learned to fight as a dragoon." Kain could hear excited whispering among the novices when Cecil said his name.

Ran worked his jaw. "Your majesty, forgive me, but you assigned me to be the Commander of the dragoons! I should be the teacher."

_He is quite arrogant. Yet, I'm not one to talk._

"I understand your pride, Ran," Cecil said, patting him on the shoulder. "And I know it hurts it to see someone else intervene your position. However, Kain is a master at dragoon tactics. Perhaps he can assist you."

"But... I..."

"Master Ran!" one of the novices called out. "May I attempt Master Kain's advice?"

Ran turned to him and Kain saw his mouth twitching. "... I... all right, fine. Go ahead."

The novice smiled, and then squat down. He placed his hands on the ground, and rgwb jumped into the air. Kain smiled. _He used his legs and arms this time._

The novice turned his spear downward over his head toward the practice dummy. With a swift fall, the novice struck the practice dummy straight through the middle with his spear. He pulled it out and moved back, surprised, yet pleased. The other novices cheered for him.

"That was great!"

"What a fantastic landing!"

Ran looked dumbfounded and dismayed. "No... no... it cannot be. Not after all my attempts."

"What do you mean?" Kain asked.

Ran glared at him. "You...! Argh! That was the first time one of my students successfully landed a strike in weeks."

"Well, that one has innate talent to be sure," Kain replied with a shrug. "Even with the technique I taught them, it is still difficult to pinpoint for a novice to pinpoint his target."

"That's... not the point!" Ran growled.

"Ran, calm down," Cecil said. "Kain is only trying to help. He was the Commander of the dragoons awhile back, so he does know how to fight as one."

The Commander took a deep breath and then knelt down before Cecil. "Please, your majesty. I have nowhere else to go. Please do not replace me with Highwind. I understand his expertise, but..."

Cecil raised a hand. "Relax, I'm not going to replace you," he said with a smile. "I know a place where Kain can work. But... I must require you to hold back your pride and allow him to assist you whenever you need some tips on how to teach your students. The lack of desire among the people to join the dragoons disturbs me."

_Where I can work? But I wasn't planning on staying here very long._

For the first time, Kain saw Ran smile. "Thank you, your majesty."

Cecil nodded. "Arise, continue teaching your novices."

"Of course!" Ran rose and turned to his students and began to give them orders.

The paladin looked at Kain. "Come, I'll show your place." He began to walk back to the back door of the eastern tower.

"Cecil..." the dragoon started, following his old friend.

"Don't worry," he said. "It's not going to be in the basement or anything." He laughed.

They passed through the tower door and Kain bit his lip. "It's not that, my friend. But... I did not plan on staying in Baron permanently. You know what I—"

The king stopped and turned around to face Kain with a serious expression. "Kain... you're still sorrowful about the time Golbez controlled you?"

"I'm sorry. I cannot, no, I should not even be here," Kain said, looking away. "I was a traitor to you twice, and I don't want to fall again. You know my will is weak."

He heard Cecil sigh. "Let it go, my old friend. Let it go. Rosa and I... we would be glad to have you here at Baron. You know it's your true home. No amount of wandering is going to make you feel better about yourself."

The paladin patted Kain on the shoulder and the dragoon looked at him. There was a caring smile on his face."Rydia told me about your hesitation; your fear. I know it's something that will take you awhile to let go of. But please, stay here with us. It's not like I will confine you here, but wherever you travel, be sure to come home."

Kain didn't say anything for awhile. _What do I do?_ "You... truly forgive me? Both you and Rosa?"

Cecil grinned. "Yes, both of us. And Cid, of course." He chuckled.

The dragoon allowed himself to smile. "Very well, I will make my Baron my home then from now on."

"Good," Cecil said with a wide smile.

-S-

Rydia walked alongside Rosa in the gardens. She let out a sigh. "Every time I come here, Rosa, I'm just amazed at the work that's been done with the courtyard." Rydia gazed around at the various flowers arrayed across the garden. She even recognized a few types that came from Mist.

She heard Rosa giggle. "I'm so glad. I worked so hard on it."

"Wait, _you_ worked on it?" Rydia asked with a smirk. She looked over at an amused looking Rosa. "You're the queen! You shouldn't work on a garden."

"Well, there were some servants that helped, but..." Rosa smiled. "I helped out in any way I could. Despite their complaints like yours."

Rydia grinned. "All right then."

There was a small silence between the two as the summoner examined a group of flowers. She took in a deep breath to take in the lovely smell.

"Rydia...?" Rosa said. The summoner turned around to face the white mage. "Edge has been talking to us about your thoughts on marriage..."

She sighed and her shoulders sank. "Rosa, you know I hate that topic."

"Yes, yes," Rosa said with a nod. "I'm sorry. You've always said that you don't feel ready."

"It's... not just that," Rydia said. She frowned. "Edge... he's matured a bit these past two years, and I do love him, but..." She groaned. "If I marry, I want it to be for love. People bother me about this because they want a political alliance with a kingdom."

"But you know Edge, Rydia," Rosa said. "He wants marriage to be for love, too. He's probably as interested in an alliance as you are; which is to say none at all," she added with a chuckle.

Rydia giggled. "That's true. He's also mostly patient with me about marriage."

Rosa nodded. "As for the alliance," she said. "I assume they believe they'll be able to receive the funds they desire to expand the town?"

"Yes," Rydia responded, looking at the grass. "I don't want to be a tool, and Mist has already grown strong enough. I wonder why they want more? The people look to me as a leader.. and yet some complain..."

"Rydia..." She looked up and saw Rosa walk over to her and embrace her. "You're a good person. Don't worry yourself about it now. Focus on your school, so that Mist might have their summoners back."

"You believe that the bloodline isn't lost, don't you?" Rydia said, smiling.

"Of course, I do," Rosa said. "There were true Baron Soldiers left when we freed Baron from Golbez's grasp, there must some survivors with the summoner bloodline left in them at Mist."

A gentle smile spread over Rydia's face. "Thank you, Rosa."

"It is not a problem. Come, let me show you the rest of the gardens. They've expanded a little since you were last here." Rosa headed a little ways to the east—deeper into the garden.

"Wonderful," Rydia said. "I cannot wait to see the rest." She followed Rosa, and was grateful that she hadn't pushed the subject of marriage further.

-S-

Kain walked across the battlements of Baron Castle with Cecil at his side. He was looking down at the courtyard where he saw Rydia and Rosa in the gardens, talking. _I wonder what they are conversing about?_ He thought.

"So," Cecil said, jarring the dragoon from musings. "Do you want to know what position I'm giving you here?"

Kain turned his head and looked at Cecil. "Indeed. I am curious if I am not to be the Commander of the dragoons where I should be placed."

Cecil grinned. "I'm making you captain of the Red Wings," he said, holding his hands on the back of his head. "I think you'll do an excellent job there."

"Strange..." Kain said slowly. _This isn't like Cecil._

"What is it?"

"You seem to be building up your military forces, Cecil," he said. "What for? I assumed there was no ill-will among the nations."

Cecil nodded at Kain. "You are correct, but there are some rogue nations rising up, looking for power. I'm creating a strong military in order to defend weaker cities like Mysidia. We also don't know if someone like Golbez could return." He looked at Kain in the eye. "Just because the second moon is gone, doesn't mean we won't have enemies."

"Fortunately, it sounds like you have plenty of allies," Kain responded.

Cecil nodded again, this time, with a smile. "Indeed. So far, all the nations except Damcyan have allied with us."

"And why has Damcyan not formed an alliance?" Kain asked, raising a curious brow.

"Because Edward hasn't finished rebuilding the castle," Cecil said, continuing to walk. Kain followed him. "I already sent an epistle offering the alliance to him, but he refused saying he'll ally with us once his kingdom is rebuilt."

"Hm... I'm assuming he feels that a broken kingdom is not useful?"

"That's what he implied," Cecil said, cocking a smile. He paused, studying Kain's face. "Kain... since you arrived, you appear to be a lot less arrogant than I remember you. No offense to you, my friend. It was actually one of your endearing traits. But... what happened?"

"There was nothing," Kain said simply.

"Nothing? What do you mean?"

Kain sighed and hung his head. "The Light—your father—held nothing for me at Mount Ordeals," he explained. "I know he died giving you his power, but I had hoped there was some sort of remaining energy there. But there was none. Two years in solitude... knowing of my weakness... I suppose that has changed me."

"I see," Cecil said. He looked away and then back at Kain. "Listen, don't dwell on your weaknesses. I see that the lack of success humbled you, but that doesn't mean you are weak. You're one the strongest warriors I know." He pat Kain on the shoulder.

"Thank you again, Cecil," Kain said after a long pause, a smile spreading over his face.

Cecil nodded. "Anytime," he said. "Now, would you like to see your living quarters? After all, I don't want you live here in a guest room," he added with a chuckle.

Kain worked his jaw. _Have they truly forgiven me? I know I consented to live here, but... it's hard to believe... after all my betrayals..._ Cecil's words about the past echoed in his mind and Kain erased the thoughts. Then, he nodded. "Yes, show me."

"All right, follow me, Kain," he said. He beckoned with his hand, and Kain walked behind Cecil, taking occasional glances back the garden. He could not see Rosa from his vantage point. He frowned, but continued to follow his friend.

-S-

"So, how is the school, Rydia?" Rosa asked her as they crossed into the deeper area of the garden, underneath the battlements. Columns supported the ceiling above, and around them were beautiful flowers that Rydia could not recognize.

"Good," she said. _Look at this gorgeous place!_ She thought. "You don't grow food here, do you?" _They didn't the last time I was here._

"Of course not," Rosa said. "I asked Cecil, but he insisted that the people from the town of Baron work in their fields instead. He wants them to have their own place in this kingdom."

"Oh, right," Rydia said, slapping her forehead. "I forgot. You said that to me last time."

Rosa put her hands on her hips. "So, your school is just 'good?'" she asked, cocking her head to one side. "Surely, there must be more to it than that."

The summoner faced Rosa, sighed, and frowned. "I... I enjoy teaching them, but... it's hard. I haven't... had any real progress. I can't even get them to summon a chocobo." She put her hands in her face. _Oh no, don't cry, Rydia._ A tear rolled down her cheek. "I... I don't know what to do."

Then, she felt Rosa hug her. "It's all right, dear. It will take time before they are strong. Didn't it take you years in the Feymarch just to learn how to summon your Mist Dragon, Ifrit, Shiva, Titan, and Ramuh?"

Rydia looked at her, she could feel more tears breaking from her eyes. "Yes, but... this is a simple summon. Not a powerful eidolon," she said. "It—"

The white mage shook her head. "No, no, it'll be all right, Rydia." She smiled. "It will be all right. They'll be able to summon a chocobo soon. I know it. Just give it some time."

"But..." Rydia looked away, letting go of Rosa. "I feel like a simple school teacher sometimes. I can't spend all day trying to make them summon. It becomes boring, and not exciting. Both for me and the children."

"What do you teach them then?"

"Mathematics, some history, some literature to read," Rydia said, listing them off. She wiped her eyes. "But... summoning is what I _really_ want them to learn. Yes, a good intellect is needed to summon well, but... I feel like I'm failing."

Again, Rosa embraced the summoner. "Dry your eyes," she said. "You're not failing. You will succeed." She smiled at Rydia. "Again, give it time. At least one of them will be able to summon."

They broke away. "All right," Rydia said, returning the smile. "Thank you, Rosa."

"You're welcome, little sister," she said.

Rydia wiped her eyes, and began to feel peaceful. _I hope you are right, Rosa. I really do._

They continued to walk through the garden as Rosa showed to her all the different flowers, and some from various countries and nations far off. Rydia turned her mind away from schooling for the moment, and enjoyed the beauty around her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Kain was led by Cecil to his quarters, which was in the western tower on the second floor—just below where the paladin and Rosa stayed.

"Are you sure this is wise?" Kain asked him. "The people might begin to wonder why you've given me a room so close to your own."

"Nonsense," Cecil responded. He opened the door. "Though, I do agree with you that it might seem a little like favoritism to give you this room. But it's the only non-guest room I have left."

Kain worked his jaw, and then sighed. "Very well, I accept," he said. He entered the room after Cecil.

The dragoon was not surprised. It was a very lavish room, though probably not as fancy as Cecil and Rosa's, it was still something that he had never experienced.

The room was very different from what he had been used to. Although the walls were still made of gray stone like his old room, the windows were set with beautiful sky-blue curtains. The floor was covered with a rug of matching color, and it had a silver trim.

_Is he really certain this is a wise choice?_ Kain kept his mouth closed and turned to Cecil. "Thank you, my friend. This is a beautiful room, and I shall keep it orderly in return."

Cecil smiled. "You're welcome, Kain. By the way, I'm positive Cid will want to see you. Shall we go find him?"

Kain grinned at the thought of Cid. "Certainly!"

-S-

"Where have ya been, Kain!?" Cid exclaimed, punching the dragoon's shoulder. "We've all miss'd ya! Even Edge! Ya better not keep him from seein' ya. Or I'll give ya a whoopin'!" he added, his voice playful.

Kain laughed. _He hasn't changed in the least,_ he thought. They were outside the west tower on the stony floor. The dragoon welcomed the fresh wind, yet Cid had the scent of airship oil as usual.

Cid was a large, bulky man with thick muscles. He was quite older than Cecil or Kain, but he hated to admit it. He wore a set of blue pants with thick suspenders over a white shirt. And along with the smell, Kain could see oil stains on his shirt. Over his eyes, he wore a large set of goggles, and he had a large brown beard.

"It is good to see you again, Cid," Kain said. He couldn't help himself; smiling.

"Yeah! It's great to see ya, too!" the engineer said. "Now, where have ya been? It's been two years since I last saw ya. Ya didn't even come to Cecil and Rosa's marriage and coronation."

"I... I felt unworthy to attend," Kain said. "I sought out the Light at Mt. Ordeals; the very power that changed Cecil into a paladin. There was nothing for me there..." he frowned and looked away from Cid for a moment, and then looked back. Kain licked his lips. "I traveled all over the world, seeking a challenge to improve myself, but I found none.

"Then, I ran into Rydia on the mountainside of Mist. She... coerced me to come to Baron. Eventually, I gave in, and agreed."

"Unworthy?" Cid laughed heartily. "That's ridiculous! But I'm glad yer back. Heh, Rydia's a strong girl. Ya know she pretty much rebuilt Mist single-handily?"

Kain blinked, and his breathe escaped him for a moment. "Really? Where did she obtain the money to do such a task?"

"What? Ya mean she didn't tell ya?" Cid asked, sounded quite surprised.

Cecil, who had been silent, spoke up. "Rosa and I gave her the money to restore the town. Not even restore it, but expand it. She sealed the chasm that she had created two years ago, and now there's a trade route with Kaipo."

Cid nodded. "She also has a school and everything fer summoners; believes she can restore the bloodline."

"I never knew. She never told me on the way here," Kain said, stroking his chin. "Amazing... you're right, she is quite a strong girl. I had forgotten about her determined will." He glanced at the engineer. "You sound doubtful about her school however."

"When the village was destroyed by the Bomb Ring, I really didn't believe there are any summoners left," Cid said. He shook his head. "But, she has the right to make her school. If she does find a way, well, I'll eat my own airship."

Cecil chuckled. "I don't think that's necessary, Cid." Kain nodded in agreement.

"Well, I gotta embarrass myself somehow!" Cid said, letting out a laugh. "Ya both know that I put my pride on the line fer anything." He grinned. "By the way, I sent Edge a letter by one of my airships since Rydia's here."

"Without my permission?" Cecil said, with a side-glance at Cid. He smiled. "I'm kidding."

Cid laughed and patted the paladin on the back with a strong whack.

_Edge?_ Kain worked his jaw for a moment. "It truly has been a long time since I've seen the Prince of Eblan," he said. "I will try to avoid bickering with him."

Cecil chuckled. "I wouldn't worry about that," he said. "Edge has changed a bit these past two years. He's more mature now; still hot-headed, however."

"Very well," Kain said. "It will be a pleasure to have him around."

-S-

"Edge is coming?" Rydia asked Rosa.

The white mage nodded. "Yes, Cid told me he sent word to him as soon as you arrived."

Rydia frowned. "Without your permission?" she said.

"Well, no," Rosa said. "But he didn't come to visit last time you were here, so I thought it was appropriate for him to see you." She smiled. "Don't tell me you've fallen for someone else."

Rydia snorted. "No," she said with a grin. "I haven't. It's just... that..." She shook her head. "I already told you this."

Rosa patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry," she said. "I'm sure you'll make a wise decision when the time comes. You know Edge would never force you."

Rydia smiled. "Yes, that's true. Well, I look forward to seeing him again." She placed her hands on her hips. "When do you think he'll arrive?"

"I'm not certain," she said. "But I imagine he will be here soon. It won't be difficult to spot him coming," Rosa added with her own grin.

Rydia chuckled. "How could anyone miss the Falcon? I seriously think—since he's a ninja—that he should paint it a color that will match the sky. Right now, it's too obvious."

"Have you told him this?"

"Yes, I did. But he said he already loves the current color." Rydia rolled her eyes. "I guess he'll never be able to sneak up on his opponents by air."

"Perhaps, he won't need to," Rosa said. "Anyway, we should probably prepare for his arrival. No doubt Cecil, Kain, Cid, and the others will be there."

Rydia paused when Rosa mentioned Kain. She glanced over to her. "What do you think of Kain now that he's back?" she asked. "Are you afraid he might try to steal you from Cecil?"

"Oh no," Rosa chuckled. "Kain may have 'betrayed' us in the past. But we all know Golbez was the one who caused that. Kain is a dragoon, he will keep the honor of the knighthood he trained in."

"Yes," Rydia said, nodding. "You're right."

"As for what I think of him since he's returned," Rosa continued. "Well, I'm glad he's here. If Ran doesn't keep the dragoons in one piece, we'll have another Commander; one we can truly trust. If anything, he visited the Light on Mt. Ordeals, I doubt his mind will be taken again."

"Hmm... he told me there was nothing there for him," Rydia said.

Rosa smiled again. "Maybe nothing he could see, but I think the Light had something for him. After all, the Light was Cecil's father. He may have given everything to his son, but perhaps there was remnant left for his son's best friend."

"I think you're stretching that idea a little bit," Rydia said with a laugh. "Maybe you're right, but... I believe we could find a different way to help Kain's will. Anyway, let's go to the Airship Platform."

"Indeed," Rosa said.

Rydia followed her friend out of the gardens and into the castle. _Edge... I also wish there was a way... without me becoming a queen,_ she thought.

-S-

When Rydia and Rosa arrived at the Airship Platform, they ran into Cecil, Kain, and Cid. The fleetmaster greeted her with a bear hug.

"So good ta see ya, girl!" he said.

Rydia winced under the power of Cid's embrace. "Ah... yes. Nice to see you, too, Cid." He let go of her, and she took a deep breath. "I'm glad you're still well."

"Of course I am!" he said. "I'm always doing great!"

She smiled at him. "Obviously. How's your daughter?"

"She's just fine," he said. "But, eh, ya know her. I gotta be careful or she'll blow up on me like a bad engine!" he added with a hearty laugh.

Rydia chuckled. "Yes, yes," she said. "I remember."

"Ah!" Cecil said, jerking the group from their conversations. "There's Edge's airship now!"

Rydia could see the Falcon in the distance. Its crimson hull clashed against the blue sky, and stuck out of the clouds like a red comet. The hull's mithril plating shimmered in the sunlight as the airship approached.

It wasn't very long until the Falcon was over the platform. Rydia stepped back and she watched it land. The airship's loud propellers overhead would have damaged Rydia's ears had she not been used to airships. And she would have been blown away by the powerful wind they generated.

The Falcon slowly landed with a gentle thud, and the propellers winded down to a quiet stop. Rydia heard the sudden swish of the wind and saw two Eblan soldiers on the ground. They helped lower the gangplank. Many guards walked down it, but she couldn't see Edge.

Rydia smirked as she heard a puff of smoke behind her. "Hello, Edge," she said, turning around to see the Prince of Eblan behind her. "I had a feeling you'd sneak up on me."

"And why not?" he said. "Is there another way to greet a beautiful lady?"

He was wearing a gray ninja mask with white clothing and a white cape. He carried two swords crossed on his back—the powerful katanas Masamune and Murasame. He had his usual black boots on with matching bracers.

She chuckled. "Well, I suppose there are others," she said. "But a smoke bomb is the one of the most dramatic ways." She paused, and then gave him a hug. "How are you?"

Edge embraced her back, and then let go. "Great as always! Being a prince is still tough, especially when he's nagged constantly by his Chancellor." He chuckled. "How about you—eh?" he stopped, glancing to Rydia's right.

She followed his gaze to Kain, and then she looked back at the ninja. Even with his face mask, she could tell from his eyes that he was surprised to see the dragoon.

"Kain?!" Edge exclaimed. "Is that...?"

Rydia saw the dragoon nod with reluctance. "Yes, it is I," he said. "I know, it has been a long time."

She heard Edge chuckle. "Two years even, old buddy," he said. "Don't look at me like that, I've let go of what you 'did,' since it was really Golbez's doing." Rydia glanced over at Edge to see him look at Cecil with his arms on his hips. "I bet you were glad to see him, eh?"

"We all were," Cecil said with a generous smile.

Kain nodded his head. "I... was a bit surprised at first, but I suppose I was wrong with my beliefs."

"Where did you go, anyway?" Edge asked, stepping forward; he was side-by-side with Rydia.

"To Mt. Ordeals," Kain said. "I tried to seek out the Light that changed Cecil, but... I found nothing there for me. I traveled all over the world seeking challenges in order to train myself... and then I ran into Rydia."

Edge glanced over at her. "Heh. You convinced him to come back, huh, Rydia?" he asked, folding his arms. While it was subtle, Rydia thought she felt jealousy in Edge's voice.

_Huh? _Rydia blinked. "Yes, I did," she said with a grin. "He was a little stubborn, but he came."

"I see," Edge said, rubbing his chin. He shrugged. "Anyway, shall we go around and see all of Cecil's new toys?" he said to her.

Cecil laughed. "You've seen them all already, Edge." He smirked. "I don't have any new 'toys' for you to gawk at."

"Oh come on!" the ninja replied. "I admire them. I don't gawk at them."

Rydia giggled. She noticed Kain and Rosa smiling along with Cecil, and Cid had a wide grin split on his face. Even some of the soldiers, both of Baron and Eblan, seemed amused.

"So, since Kain's here now," Edge said. "I'm betting the dragoons are being better trained."

"Yes, they are," Kain nodded. "I have been assisting the current Commander in training techniques."

"... assisting?" Edge blinked. "Assisting? You're kidding me! _You _should be the Commander, Kain! Not that incompetent jerk Ran."

"While it's true that he did insult me at first for trying to help," Kain said. "He's calmed down now, and he is becoming quite knowledgeable."

Edge shrugged. "Whatever," he said. "I still think you should be the one commanding the dragoons, but..."

"Don't worry, Edge," Cecil said to him. "I have Kain as the captain of the Red Wings right now. He has a place here." He patted Kain on the shoulder and the dragoon actually smiled at his friend.

The ninja nodded, and then cleared his throat. "If you don't mind, I'd like to spend some time alone with Rydia." He turned to her. "If that's all right with you."

Rydia shrugged and then nodded. "That's fine," she said.

"Well, just play nice, you two," Cecil said a little mischievously. Rydia saw Rosa elbow him in the ribs. He shot a look at her, but he was still smiling.

"Oh please," Rydia said, rolling her eyes.

"Eh, forget them," Edge said next to her. She felt his hand fall on her shoulder. She looked at him and he was leaning into her a little. "Come on. Why don't we go down to the courtyard, eh? I've got a gift for you."

Rydia raised her brow. "Oh really?" She chuckled. "Oh, all right. Lead the way, Edge."

-S-

Rydia strode through the gardens with Edge. _I wonder what he brought?_ She glanced over at the prince, who was admiring Rosa's work.

"Wow," he said. "This place has changed a little since I was last here. Rosa's done a good job."

Rydia sat down on a bench and looked at Edge with a raised brow. "You knew Rosa worked in these gardens?" she asked.

"Sure did!" Edge replied, turning his head to her. "Cecil told me about it. He was pleased that his wife was helping out the servants." He cocked his head. "Don't tell me you didn't know."

"I didn't," she said. "At least, until Rosa told me earlier today."

"So, how long are you staying?" He asked, walking over to the bench slowly and then sitting down next to her.

"Only the weekend," Rydia said. "School always starts on Monday."

She heard Edge make a quiet noise. "You should take a break one day. You know? Come visit me for once and we could go flying." Rydia looked at him, and he was giving her a side-glance with his hands together on his chin.

"What if I came with you on a weekend?" she asked. "Then, I could spend a day with you and I could get my lessons ready." She smiled.

"Sounds like a fantastic idea!" Edge exclaimed. "That way, I won't get in the way of your dream." That would have sounded sarcastic coming from anyone else, but from Edge, he always made it sound admirable.

"Thank you," Rydia said softly.

She could tell that Edge was grinning under his face mask. He sat up straight and cupped his hands together. There was a puff of white smoke, and in his hands were a set of flowers.

Not just any flowers either. The petals were a very deep purple—so deep that the petals were almost black.

"For you, milady," Edge said, handing them to her.

Rydia smiled as she took the flowers from Edge. She smelled them, and their scent was far different than any she had experienced before. Bitter, yet very sweet at the same time. She felt the petals, and they felt like silk.

"Do you like them?" the ninja asked.

Rydia nodded. "Yes, I do. Thank you, Edge. It's very sweet of you." He beamed at her. "What are these flowers called, though? I've never seen such black petals before."

Edge cocked his head to the side, and then straight again. "They're a special breed from Eblan. We call them 'Shadow Flowers.' In the shade they turn a deep dark blue, but in the light, they are the color you see now."

She blinked. "Isn't Eblan surrounded by a small desert?"

He let out a friendly laugh. "Yes, it is. But that doesn't mean we have our private gardens outside that area. They've been there for years."

"I never saw them before."

"That's because Rubicante destroyed Eblan, remember?" Edge replied. "It's been two years and we managed to get the gardens living again."

Rydia smiled a gentle, and kind smile at him. "Heh, then the flowers fit your culture, don't they?"

Edge chuckled. "You might say that." He paused. "I'm glad you like them. You can keep them, Rydia."

"Thank you, Edge," Rydia said, her heart filled with warmth. "I promise to take care of them."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It was dark in the Sealed Cave; the only thing creating light was the magma pools in the cavern. Kain stood outside the makeshift cottage that Cecil and the others had made before falling asleep. Despite his wounds from the heavy battles before, Kain stood at the ready with his spear in hand, keeping a lookout for any monsters that would try to sneak towards the cottage.

_The voices... they keep coming back,_ he thought. _This almost the exact same thing that happened to me before! What if...?_ he heard someone yawn.

He turned and saw Rydia closing the door to the cottage quietly. "You're awake," he said.

"Oh, hello, Kain." She smiled before stretching. "How has the night treated you?"

"Well, I suppose. Mind you, I am still wounded."

"Don't worry." Rydia walked over to him, and patted his shoulder. "Cecil said he would take the second watch to let you get some rest."

"Why are you awake?" he asked.

"I can't seem to sleep, tonight." Rydia leaned against the back of the cottage and allowed herself to slide down its side until she landed on the floor. "Though... I am very tired."

Kain turned around and faced the broken doorway to outer caverns. "Then why did you come out here? I am not the best of company... and I am... not completely trustworthy."

"According to who? Edge?" He heard Rydia giggle. "Cecil told me about your so-called 'betrayal', Kain. Really, it sounds like it wasn't your fault. Don't berate yourself. If you want to blame someone, blame Golbez."

"Yet, I was conscious of the things I did." Kain tapped the butt of his spear lightly on the ground and looked down. "I don't see why—"

"Oh, don't start, please..." she said kindly. "Let go of that, Kain. Let it go. Don't hold onto the past's mistakes."

"I suppose you're right." Kain looked back up, scanning the area for any missed intruders. He could still hear the voices in his head, and so, he changed what he was thinking of. _Rosa... I could never be yours, could I?_ "Rydia... what is Cecil to you?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"What do you think of him?"

"Well... he's like an older brother to me." Rydia paused and let out another yawn. "Since he protected me when I was a child, I started to see him as the brother I never had. I suppose I could have seen you the same way... if you had been around that is. I'm curious, Kain, would you have protected me like Cecil did?"

"Of course," Kain turned his head to look back at her, and saw her emerald eyes peering back at him with a curious flicker. "Cecil and I had already agreed on that when we met you."

Rydia smiled. "Thank you."

"... I'm sorry about your mother."

"Oh, don't! It wasn't really your fault, nor Cecil's." Rydia tilted her head. "Really... it was like you had a blind-fold over your eyes and didn't know where you going or what you were doing until the ring went off."

"I thank you for your kindness, Rydia." He smiled at her and then turned his attention to the broken door at the end of the cavern again.

Then he heard her stand up. "Something's bothering me tonight, though. I feel something... a presence and it seems to be around you, Kain." She sounded worried. "Is Golbez trying to get in your head again?"

"So you can tell." He swallowed. "It's true... I've been hearing... voices in my head. I'm worried that I might lose my mind to him again." _And then Cecil and Rosa would never trust me again._

"Don't worry. It won't be your fault if Golbez controls you." Kain heard Rydia take a step toward him. "I have an idea. If he does try again, I will counter-spell it, and you'll be fine. Just make sure you try to resist him as well."

"I will. Believe me, I do not wish to be taken by his craft again." This time he turned to face her completely. "Thank you, again, Rydia."

She smiled. "You're welcome, Kain."

-S-

Kain awoke. The moonlight crept through the curtains and onto the floor. He blinked his eyes open and sat up in his bed. _A dream?_ He wondered. _But... that actually happened!_ Why was he dreaming about Rydia? _Quite odd..._

He yawned. _Best not to let a dream bother me._ He scratched his head, and then laid back into his bed.

Kain closed his eyes, and in his mind saw her face. _"Come back to Baron. Cecil, Rosa, Cid, they miss you!"_ she said, the voice echoing in his head. He knew how lonely he felt now that Rosa was married to Cecil. _Where... is mine to be with?_

He shot up and rubbed his eyes. _She was so kind... always so kind..._ He shook his head. _No, I will forget about this. I don't need it in my life._ He laid back down, sighed, and went to sleep. However, Rydia kept walking into his dreams.

-S-

"Mmmm!" Rydia stretched as she slipped out of her bed in Baron Castle. She cocked her head to one side and then to the other while blinking her eyes. After fixing her hair and face, she slid into her garments and grabbed her whip.

She opened the door and walked out, stretching. "Ahhh..." It was a cloud-less day and the sun was peeking up over the mountains. She decided to walk up to the battlements to watch the gardens below.

As Rydia walked across the battlements over the front gate and then saw a dragoon standing on them, watching the front gate. "Good morning, Kain!" she said with a wave.

The dragoon turned his head toward her and smiled. "Good morning to you, too, Rydia."

She walked casually toward him. "So, how are you this lovely day?" Rydia asked. "Did you sleep well?"

Kain glanced away from her for a moment. "Yes, I did," he said after a pause. "I had strange dreams, however." He looked away. "Very strange."

"Would you like to share them with me?" she asked.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I do not think you would be interested. How long are you staying here, Rydia?"

"Oh, I'm going to be leaving today," she said, putting her hands behind her head and facing south (above the front gate). "It's Sunday... and school starts again on Monday, so I'll need to be at home in order to teach my students."

Kain paused again. "Would you mind if I came along? I am curious about your school."

Rydia blinked."I don't mind at all," she said. "You can come with me. My children might be interested in you."

"Your children?" Kain said, sounding curious. "I don't mean any offense, but—"

"Oh, no, no, no," Rydia said, waving it away. "I'm not offended at all." She nodded her head soberly. "Yes, I call them 'my children' because... I feel like they belong to me. It's rather selfish of me to think so, but... I love them dearly. I hope one day I'll see one of them summon a chocobo." She bit her lip. _If... they ever manage to._

A voice sounded from below, and Rydia looked down to see a man carrying a silver harp with a yellow cape. He wore a hat with a feather in it, and was dressed head it to toe in regal scarlet clothing. She smiled, knowing exactly who he was.

"Please!" the bard said. "I need to see the King!"

"We don't let bards in without permission from his Majesty!" Rydia heard one of the guards say. "Be gone."

"If you knew who I was, you wouldn't bar me from Cecil," he said with a warning voice.

"How dare you call his Majesty by his name—!"

Then, the bard took out a necklace. Rydia could barely see the insignia of Damcyan—the Fire Crystal on its crest.

"Is that...?" Kain said, pointing at the bard.

"Yes, it's him," Rydia responded with a smile. "I wonder what he needs to see Cecil for." She looked at Kain and put her hand on his shoulder. "Say... why don't we go down there and meet him?"

"Certainly," the dragoon said. "I would like to see him again." Kain turned toward the edge of the battlement facing the garden and jumped down. Rydia heard his boots softly press the grass as he landed.

The summoner herself focused and then said with a quiet voice, "Warp." She slid through the battlement floor and appeared in the gardens.

Rydia led the way to main gate. It opened, and she heard the guards apologizing to the bard. "We did not know you were the Prince of Damcyan. Forgive us, Your Highness."

The prince passed through the gates, smiling at the guard. "Do not fret over it. I'm confused for a bard all the time." His eyes looked forward and he stopped. "Rydia! I did not expect you be here."

"Edward!" Rydia ran forward and embraced him. "It's good to see you again. There's a friend you haven't seen in awhile, too."

Edward let go of Rydia and looked behind her, his eyes widened. "Kain? Is that you?"

"Indeed," Kain responded. Rydia looked behind her to see the dragoon approaching. "I know I have been missing for some time, but I have returned home to Baron."

Edward grinned. "What made you return?"

"Rydia convinced me to come back, and Cecil, Rosa, Cid, and Edge have truly forgiven me of my... past misdeeds. I felt like I should stay here for them," he explained.

"Well," Edward said with a kind smile, placing his hands on his hips. "Yang, Palom, Porom, and I have also forgiven you. So, don't worry, my friend."

Kain nodded, a smile spreading over his face. "Of course. I assumed as much after Cecil welcomed me so warmly. If you do not mind, what business do you have here?"

Edward's face split into a pleasant grin. "Oh, I'm keeping that secret until I can speak with Cecil," he said. He stroked the strings on his harp.

"Hey, Edward," said a voice from the shadows.

The bard chuckled and looked toward the shadows. "Hello, Edward."

Edge appeared from the shadow of the battlements, grinning. Rydia guessed that he was grinning from the sparkle in his eyes. "Nice to see you here. How's your castle coming along?" Edge asked.

"That is to remain a secret, my friend," Edward repeated, moving his fingers across the strings of his harp again. "So, where is Cecil? In the throne room?"

Rydia laughed. "He's probably not there because he doesn't like the throne room. He always said that it makes him feel 'too important.'"

"That it does," said Cecil's voice.

Rydia leaned over to see around Edward (who had spun around), and standing there, in his armor, was the King of Baron. "Edward, it's a great honor to see you in Baron. What brings you to my castle?"

Edward played with his harp again. "I will tell you, but would you be willing to gather everyone to your dining hall? I want them all to hear my announcement," he said.

Cecil chuckled and then nodded. "Very well, I will call a meeting there shortly."

Cecil and Edward left Rydia, Kain, and Edge behind. The three looked at each other and shrugged.

"I think I know what the announcement is," Edge sung wittingly. "Heh. That's very good for him and his people."

Rydia nodded and chuckled. "Ah, I think I know what you mean," she said. She adjusted her golden hairclip on her head.

"Is it just me," Kain said, attracting Rydia's attention with a pondering voice. "Or has Edward become more... cheerful?" He turned to Rydia and Edge. "I remember how sorrowful he used to be."

The summoner giggled. "Oh, yes! He's quite happy these days," she said. She stretched her arms back and placed her hands on the back of her head. "You can probably tell that he's gotten over Anna."

"Uh-huh, I heard he's found someone else," Edge said. Rydia glanced behind her and saw the prince adjusting his bracers, but his eyes were still fixed on Kain. "Hopefully, Anna won't be offended from the Spirit World."

"I bet she isn't," Rydia replied, raising a finger. "Come on, let's get to the dining hall. I'm curious about Edward's announcement."

-S-

The new dining hall was something Kain hadn't expected. He assumed that it was the typical area where the soldiers partook of their meals. Instead, he was surprised by Cecil's continued expansion of the castle.

The new dining hall, possibly only for close friends or royalty (though Kain assumed the former), was a beautiful stone structure held up by many pillars of marble. The carpets were trimmed with actual gold and the cloth was made of the finest materials.

"Kain?"

The dragoon looked up; he had been feeling the carpets. Edge was looking at him with a questioning gaze. "What are you doing? You're acting really strange," he said.

"Ah, I was a bit surprised by this new hall. I've never seen it before," Kain said. "I wanted to see if... ah, nevermind. Do not concern yourself with it, Edge."

The ninja paused, and then shrugged. "Fine by me," he said and he sat down next to Rydia at the large, long table, which had rounded corners. It was made of white oak that had been finely polished.

Kain removed his helmet and sat down opposite of them onto a cushy chair. Everyone else—Cecil, Rosa, and Cid—was already seated, facing each other. Then, he heard the stroke of a harp's strings and looked to the head of the table. There stood Edward, smiling pleasantly. The dragoon noticed that all had turned their attention to him.

"So, what's the news?" Cid asked. "Good or bad? Hopefully good. I always like good news." He grinned.

Edward bowed. "Allow me to sing you a song about what has happened," he said. He put his harp to the side and began to strum its strings.

_Once, my castle was ruined by fire,_

_Taken was the Crystal by ire._

_Then, after the war was fought,_

_I returned to where the Crystal was ought._

_Years passed on..._

_And builders worked on._

_And soon, the castle was whole once more!_

As Edward finished the last cords of his song, the whole room broke into applause. Kain was quite pleased at the news, he had not realized how close Edward had been to restoring Damcyan.

"That's wonderful, Edward!" Rosa said, beaming.

"Indeed," Cecil chimed in, putting his arm around his wife. "Congratulations on finally rebuilding your castle."

"And what a flashy way to tell us the news!" Edge said. He clapped again. "I approve."

"So, is there some sort of special celebration yer going to hold?" Cid asked, his face filled with a wide grin.

Edward nodded. "Of course," he said. "I'm planning to hold a ball two weeks from now. I've already invited all our friends and the people of the other kingdoms. Yours, Cecil, was the last on my list. Though, I did plan to go to Mist and Eblan, but Rydia and Edge are already here."

"Two birds with one stone," Edge said with a chuckle. Kain caught Rydia rolling her eyes.

"And because this is such a special occasion," Edward continued, a playful smile on his face. "I'm adding a little twist: The ladies will choose who they want to take to the ball."

"Ah, blast!" Cid said, slapping his knee. "Well, there goes my chance," he added, laughing heartily.

"Oh..." Rydia spoke up. "I'm sure I can find a nice girl in Mist who would love to take you out, Cid."

Cid laughed again. "Oh, Rydia... always thinkin' of others. It's okay, girl," he said, still grinning. "I can dance with myself."

"No, I'm going to find you someone, Cid," Rydia said, flashing a grin back at the fleetmaster. "Even if you don't want someone to dance with."

"All right, fine,"Cid replied. "I hope ya find a pretty one."

"I'll do my best," Rydia said with a playful smile.

"Well, the choices here are rather obvious," Edge said, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back on his chair. "I mean, a dark elf's going to show up if Rosa doesn't pick Cecil."

"And what about me?" Rydia said, raising a brow. "You think I'll pick you, Edge?" she said, elbowing him in the ribs. Kain could tell she was teasing, though.

"So, what about Kain?" Edge asked. He looked over at the dragoon. "Who's going to take him?" Kain blinked. He didn't remember the ninja showing compassion toward him before.

"I'm certain there's someone in Baron I could go with," the dragoon said. "Though, that seems to destroy the point of the twist," he added. "I would need a lady to ask me." Yet, even as he said it, the pains of loneliness set into his heart. He sighed quietly.

Edward shrugged. "If the situation calls for it, it will be all right to ask a lady if you cannot find one. Though, I'm sure your friends will help you, Kain," he said.

"Very true," he said, nodding.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Rydia was packing her things for the trip to Mist. She kept her dragon whisker whip at her side as she folded clothes and placed them in her baggage. She remembered Edward's words as he left.

_"I hope to see you all there!"_

She smiled, his figure had been so triumphant, so confident. She was glad that he was so happy these days.

_ Two weeks... _she thought. _I probably will go with Edge... who else?_

After she finished packing, Rydia carried her luggage to the door and then opened it. She glanced back into the room and sighed longingly. She gently smiled toward her room. _Two weekends before I see this place again. I promised Edge I'd see him next time._

After a pause, she turned her head, picked up her luggage and headed out the door.

As Rydia passed through the halls, many guards greeted her while on their patrols. She thought she saw some blush at the sight of her, but she didn't worry about it. When she approached the front gate, she stopped and looked up into cloudy evening sky. _Kain wanted to come with me. Where is he?_

"You look confused, milady," a voice said in front of her. She looked down to face one of the guards near the front gate. "Is there something wrong?"

"Ah... well," Rydia started. She paused. "Yes, there is. Have you seen Kain Highwind anywhere nearby?"

"I'm afraid not, milady," the guard said with a sympathetic frown on his face. "I have not seen Master Highwind all morning." He glanced at her luggage. "What did you need him for? Assistance?"

Rydia chuckled. "Oh, no, no, no." She shook her head. "He said he wanted to come with me to Mist to watch me teach. But... I can't see him anywhere."

"We could search the castle for him," the guard suggested.

Rydia shook her head again. "That's kind of you," she said, patting the guard on his shoulder. "But I need leave momentarily because the journey is several hours."

"I understand, milady," he said. "We'll open the gates for you." The guard went back to the front gate and nodded at his companion. Together, they started turning the gears that held the gate in place. Slowly, the front gate began to rise.

_Kain... why did you forget? _she wondered. She actually felt a little hurt. What could have caused him to forget?

After a minute, the gate opened. Rydia waited a second for the dragoon to arrive, but no one came. Sighing, she passed through the gate and the guards lowered it behind her. _Well, I better hurry._

"Ah, you're here at last," said a voice to her right. The summoner turned her head and saw Kain standing there, next to the chocobo stables; he had his helmet on. She couldn't help but smile, and he returned it. "You look concerned, Rydia."

"I was worried that you weren't coming," she said. "I didn't know you were waiting for me out here."

"Worried?" Kain repeated. He approached her, and even with his helmet on, Rydia was sure he was blinking. "Why would you worry over me? I could have come another day if I missed your first day of the week."

Rydia shrugged. "I suppose you're right," she said with a half-smile. "I... don't know why I was so concerned now..."

"Do not bother yourself with it now," Kain said with a soft voice; still deep as ever. "I am here now, so you need not worry. Come, let's not linger any longer." He turned around and pointed with his hand to the stables. "The guards gave us permission to use the chocobos, so we won't have to go to forest."

_Did he think of that ahead of time?_ "Thank you, Kain," Rydia said. She found herself smiling. _If he did... that's very thoughtful of him._

-S-

Rydia rode her chocobo through the forest. It had already been an hour since she and Kain had left Baron. They would have to rest after going through the Mist Cavern and awaken early so they would arrive in time for class.

"Rydia," Kain said, breaking her thoughts. "What did you think of the new dining hall?"

"Oh." Rydia chuckled. "It's nice; I've been there before."

"I see," he said. She glanced over and saw that he was focused on the path. "I'm surprised Cecil would build something so grand considering his humble personalty. The carpets were trimmed with authentic gold even... I was... very surprised."

"Did you talk to Cecil about it?" Rydia asked, looking forward to also keep her attention on the ride.

"I did actually," Kain replied. "I asked him about its purpose, and well, he told me that it was made for friends when they came to dine or sup with him. Edge had some interesting comments about it."

Rydia chuckled again, feeling amused. "Doesn't he always?" she said to Kain.

"Indeed," he said with a disapproving voice. "He talked a little too openly about Cecil and Rosa producing children; thinking it was some sort of joke."

She sighed. "Yes, well, that is Edge for you," she said, rolling her eyes. "While he has matured, he still shows a little lack of restraint." _Still... he's not a bad person. He's very nice..._ she thought.

They continued the ride to Mist, and passed through the cavern that led to the town. By the time they exited the cavity, it was already nightfall. Rydia insisted on sleeping that very moment. However, she noticed Kain was rather reluctant to agree.

"Listen, I will keep watch for you," he said after arguing with her for several minutes. His confident figure did not match his voice. "I... do not think it would be appropriate for me to sleep in the tent alone with you there, Rydia."

She shrugged. Why would Kain do that to her anyway? He was a knight after all. "All right," she said, resigned. "Just make sure you get some sleep. We need to wake up early so we can get to my school in time."

Kain paused and she noticed that he was blinking. The dragoon stroked his chin and then looked at her. "You have a lesson prepared already?"

Rydia grinned. "I always do," she said. She waved at him with a gentle smile. "All right, good-night, Kain."

-S-

Kain awoke half-way to the sound of Rydia's voice. He felt himself being shaken; the summoner's soft hands gripping his arm. After a moment, he could hear her clearly.

"Come on! We're going to be late!" her voice sounded exasperated.

Blinking, he sat up and shook his head. He still had his spear in hand; did he fall asleep while on watch? "Are you hurt?" he asked the first thing that came to his mind.

Rydia's head shot back for a second in surprise. "What do you mean, Kain? I'm not hurt at all."

"Good," he said. He stood up, feeling ashamed. _She could have been injured by a monster while I was slumbering,_ he thought.

"What's wrong?" Rydia asked, placing her hands on her hips; a curious look spread over her face. "You look disappointed. What for?"

"You... could have been hurt," Kain said. "I fell asleep during my watch. Such shameful..."

"Oh, stop!" Rydia rolled her eyes. "Have a little confidence," she said. "Just a note: girls like men with confidence," she added with a playful smirk.

What did she mean by that smirk? Her advice was as clear as the early morning sky, yet something about that expression bothered him. He bit his lip.

"Come on, Kain," Rydia called. She had already grabbed her baggage and was heading toward the Town of Mist in the distance.

Without responding, save a single nod, Kain ran and caught up with her. Mist wasn't very far away. _A couple of hours at most._ He walked beside the summoner, keeping his lance out. Even during the day, monsters had a tendency to attack lone travelers.

The dragoon offered a hand to Rydia as they walked. "Would you like me to carry one of those?"

Rydia smiled kindly at him. "Thank you, Kain," she said with a soft voice. "But I can manage; I've always had."

"As you wish," he said. He continued to hold his lance in his left hand, glancing around at the mountaintops. _I fought some of those creatures near this mountainside._ It seemed very odd to him that they were not around. _Perhaps they are asleep._

They approached the gates of Mist, and Rydia stopped him. "Put your lance away, Kain," she said, her voice was not stern, but gentle and inviting. "The gate guards are apprehensive of armed warriors. If you have your weapon out, they'll think you're here to raid the place."

"Hm." Kain rubbed his chin with his right hand. "That's an odd way to treat a knight."

"Yes, I agree," she said, sighing with resignation. "But we've had attempted thefts of trading caravans, and the murder of their occupants by bandits of late." She sighed again, this time with annoyance. "I really despise them... trying to take advantage of the town."

Kain nodded and strapped the Holy Lance to his back. He could feel her irritation, and he shared it. _What low and vile creatures these bandits must be._ "Rydia, did we not pass through these gates to Baron?"

"Well, yes."

"Shouldn't they recognize me then?"

Rydia chuckled. "Most likely, unless they are a different guard patrol." She paused. "If they give you any trouble, I'll vouch for you."

"Very well," Kain said, nodding slowly.

He followed her to the gates. They were large wooden palisades with a spiked arch overhanging the main doors of the gate. The two guards there were poorly dressed for combat; leather armor, common swords and small bucklers. Even just by looking at the way they held themselves, Kain could tell they had little combat training.

"Ah, Miss Rydia!" one of the guards said, he had an eager glimmer in his eyes. "Welcome home! We've missed you." He peered around her and his expression darkened, yet Kain could see a little fear in his eyes. "Who's this?"

He frowned. "I am Kain Highwind of Baron. I'm escorting Lady Rydia home." _A different guard shift indeed._

"Kain?" the guard snorted, his companion rolled his eyes. "No way, that guy went missing years ago. Make up a better story or—"

"Oh, stop!" Rydia growled at him. "This _is_ Kain, and even if you don't want to believe it, he's a good friend of mine. He won't bring any harm to Mist—I promise."

"Oh!" The guard looked abashed. "Of course, Miss Rydia. If he's your friend then, there should be no problem." He glanced over at Kain, trying to stand up straight. "You may enter," he said in an attempt to sound confident, but a tone of shame washed over his words.

The guards opened the gates, and Kain followed Rydia into the town. When he was here last, he had not taken a proper look at Mist. And what he saw astounded him.

The homes and buildings were beautifully made from some of the finest wood he had ever seen. They were many light colors among the town, and no building felt imposing nor threatening. Every single one of them appeared to be inviting.

Kain kept gazing around in awe. _Did Rydia really lead the rebuilding of the town? It's... wonderful._ As he continued to follow her, he saw the central square, which had a good sized fountain; beautiful, too like the rest of the town.

"Kain?" Rydia asked with an amused voice. "You look surprised. It's not like Mist is a lovely city like Troia." Kain glanced over to her to see that she was smiling teasingly.

"Even so," he said. "I am amazed at how much work you put into this town. I remember how charred and broken down this village was after the Bomb Ring incident. Only your house and the inn survived."

"Yes, and everything has expanded," she noted, pointing every building. "Including my own. But, I couldn't have done it without Cecil and Rosa." She placed her hands behind her waist. "I really thank them for it."

"Indeed, yet..." Kain said. "You were the one who put in the effort."

Rydia laughed gently. "Well, I didn't work alone. I had a lot of friends—some from Kaipo and Damcyan—help rebuild the village into a thriving town. It's taken the two years you've been gone for Mist to grow this big." She sighed, and Kain saw her bite her lip. "Yet... I don't really want it to expand any longer."

Kain blinked. "Why?"

Rydia exhaled, sounding downcast. "These people... they look to me as a leader, Kain. And—" Then a voice cut her off. Kain looked and saw a homely dressed woman with a smile approach the young summoner.

"Oh, Miss Rydia!" she exclaimed with joy. "You're back! The mayor has been wondering where you went." There was strong scent of overused perfume from the woman.

"What are you doing up so early?" Rydia asked.

"Oh, I was watching my little Milina. She's been waiting for you, too," the woman said. She stood closer to Rydia and whispered something into her ear. However, Kain's attuned senses allowed him to barely hear.

"Mayor... advice... you," was all he could make out. _Does she... advise the mayor here? Or is it the other way around?_

Rydia looked taken aback, and she brought her hand to her lip. "Again, Elena? When will he learn to manage the town on his own?" she asked with a deep sigh.

Elena shrugged. "I really don't know." She paused and saw Kain. "Oh, who's your friend? What a handsome dragoon," she added with a smile.

He saw Rydia wince and then smile with gentleness. "He's Kain Highwind." As soon as she said his name, Elena jumped back with wide eyes. He feared the worst. "He returned to Baron just a short while ago and he wanted to see me teach."

Elena's smile spread wider into a knowing one. "Oh... I see," she said. Kain felt uncomfortable at her suggestive tone of voice, and a single glance at Rydia told him that she was too. "Well, I hope he gets to see what a wonderful teacher you are."

"Elena, please—"

She shook her head at the summoner. "Don't worry about it, dear," she said, waving her hand. She looked at Kain again. "Welcome home, Master Highwind. I'm sure the King was quite pleased to see you."

"Indeed," Kain said. "Cecil rejoiced at my arrival. Now, if you would, please excuse us... I'm sure Rydia needs to hurry to her school to start the lesson on time." He saw Rydia give him a smile of gratitude.

"Oh, of course," Elena said. "My little Milina will be happy to see you again, Miss Rydia."

She nodded. "Thank you, Elena. I will talk with you later." She beckoned Kain with hand toward her home. He nodded, and followed the summoner.

-S-

Rydia exhaled with relief. _Thank goodness she didn't press that subject,_ she thought. She didn't hate Elena for her pushiness; Rydia did respect her as her closest friend in Mist. Yet, she was always bothered by Elena prodding her to get married. She didn't like that. Especially not in front of Kain.

_Wait... why I am worrying about Kain like that?_ She wondered. Rydia shook her head as if to wake up from a dream.

"Rydia?" Kain's voice sounded behind her. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, don't worry," she lied. She was beginning to feel odd around Kain ever since Elena made that suggestive comment. _Comment? It just her noting something._ Regardless, she could not drag out the feeling from herself.

"Is this it?" he asked. Rydia looked up. Without knowing it, she had led him to her large home—the school building—while lost in thought.

"My," Kain said, sounding impressed. "Your home seems to be the largest in town." He walked up beside her and glanced over. "It's very beautiful."

She smiled. "Thank you, Kain." The house was made of sturdy wood and stone. Above the front door in a small spire was the school bell. Rydia looked upon it with pride and gratitude at the same time.

They took in her baggage. Rydia went to her private chambers, and placed everything inside. She opened one of the bags and pulled out her lesson plan for the day. As she left her quarters (and locked it), she thumbed through the plan to make sure she hadn't missed anything.

_Summoning teaching, math, lunch break, literature, and history..._

"Hi, Miss Rydia!" a child's voice called out.

Rydia saw Kain spin around. There, were her students. Dropping her lesson plan, she allowed the boys to tackle her and the girls to hug her. She shared their embrace and she laughed with a joyful voice. Rydia released the children and saw Milina look at her with sadness.

"We missed you!" she said, Rydia remembered that she had just turned seven. "Why do you always go away for the weekend?"

She released the children and they all stood back. "I go to visit my friends, Milina," she said with a kind voice. "I miss them, too. And I love to see them. We have a visitor, dear children," she added, looking at Kain.

All the students turned to face the dragoon. Some smiled, others gazed upon him with excited awe. They all seemed to be out of breath.

"Hello there, young ones," Kain said with a nod.

"Are you the dragoon who helped the paladin kill the bad bad lunarian?" one of the boys asked.

"I am," Kain said, swallowing. Rydia could almost sense his feelings of apprehension. Were her students going to talk about his so-called betrayals? Or were they going to focus on the good in him? The noble dragoon that had fought hard to resist Golbez the second time he was controlled.

"Wow!" the children chorused. "You did so many nice things for them and us!"

"Yeah!" Milina said. "Miss Rydia told us about you and paladin fighting that bad lunarian. You were so brave."

Rydia saw a look of surprise on his face. Then, a wide smile spread on his countenance. "I thank you..." he said quietly. "You are all indeed wonderful children. Rydia is lucky to have you as students." The students all blushed, yet they appeared to be a little confused.

"Could you tell us about the battle?" one of the girls asked. The rest of the children chimed in. "Please? Please? Pretty please?"

Kain chuckled. "Your teacher never told you?"

"I just told them my perspective," Rydia said with a wink. "Maybe they would like to hear your point of view, Kain."

"Very well," he said. He sat down on the grass and the children followed suit as if he was a teacher's aid. Rydia also took a seat on the grass, and interlaced her hands, leaning her chin against them.

"I will tell you then about your teacher's great assistance in the battle and our paladin's—now King—great courage against Zeromus; the bad lunarian."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Kain was struggling to move, yet Zeromus's power was too much. He tasted blood in his throat and was ready to die. _I cannot die here..._ he thought. _I have to... help stop... Zeromus._ He was about to lose consciousness when he heard Cecil's voice.

"Brother!" he said with a gasp. Most likely to Golbez.

"Cecil..." Golbez said, wheezing. "The Crystal... it must be... you who uses it. Ugh!"

Then Kain heard the paladin's crystal boots touch the glass floor. "This is... the end for you, Zeromus—not us!"

Zeromus laughed, his dark, wicked voice echoing through the chamber. "What can you do, wounded as you are? I sense the blood of my kind within you. Excellent! It will make it easy for me to slay you!"

Kain heard the sound of a sword being drawn. _He's actually going to fight the monster? Cecil..._

"My lunarian blood..." Cecil said, grunting. "Will be what destroys you, Zeromus! I will not fall to you, nor will I let you destroy all that which I hold dear to me."

"Oh?" Zeromus snorted. "And how do you plan to do that, half-breed?"

"My father's blood—his Light—will..." Cecil stopped and coughed. "It will power the Crystal to finish you. And my mother's blood... will give the strength to overcome whatever you intend to try to slay me with!"

At that moment, Kain lost consciousness with a single thought in his mind. _Cecil... I could never have courage like you..._

Then, he felt energy enter into his body and he rose from the ground. The images of Palom and Porom stood next to Zeromus. "We're going to help you!" Porom said.

"Don't let this loser get you, Cecil!" Palom smiled, his figure victorious.

Kain peered around and saw that Edge, Rydia, and Rosa had also arisen. They were bleeding heavily, but alive. He looked over to Cecil and saw that he was the most wounded—even close to death.

Palom and Porom's images vanished, only to replaced by Edward and Tellah.

"I admire your courage, Cecil. Everyone else, share his courage!" Edward said.

"Remember," Tellah said. "Trust in yourselves, or you will fall! But I know you won't!"

The prayers of the sage and bard gave Kain the health to stand. The dragoon felt his wounds close and there was no longer blood in his throat. "Thank you..." he said. He saw Edge had risen to his feet as well.

Tellah and Edward's images vanished like the twin mages had, only to be replaced by Cid and Yang.

"Focus!" Yang said. "You are all stronger than you believe!"

"You all come home safe, ya hear?" Cid said. "Or I'll have to kill ya myself!" he added with a friendly laugh.

Their images vanished once again as Kain saw Rydia and Rosa rise to their feet. "Thank you, everyone," Rydia said with a smile on her face.

"Yes, continue to pray for us!" Rosa chimed in.

Then the images of Fusoya and Golbez appeared. "Moon shine your light upon Cecil!" There was a flash of bright light and Cecil was illuminated. His wounds closed, and the paladin stepped up and supported himself on his feet.

"My dear brother..." Golbez said. "My darkness stained the Crystal... now let your holy light purify it! Zeromus!" he added, facing the lunarian. "Show your true colors!"

Their images vanished and Zeromus growled. "How is this possible? All of you... are supposed to be dead. Very well, I will kill you again and drag you into the darkness!"

"Not today, Zeromus," Cecil said, brandishing Ragnarok. Kain took out his Holy Lance and heard the sound of Edge drawing his blades. "You will fall here!" He raised the Crystal in his left hand, and a portion of light left his body entering into the Crystal.

An explosion of holy light blasted the lunarian and the Crystal shattered.

"Grr... ugh... rgh!" Zeromus growled. Then, arms split from his body and he grew into the most horrid monstrosity that Kain had ever beheld in his life. "You cannot win..." Suddenly, the chamber around them vanished, and they found themselves floating in moving space. "Ha ha! This is my zone, and I have control over it!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Edge said with confident arrogance to Zeromus. He held a Fuma Shuriken in his hand.

"Ha ha ha! Your puny earth weapons mean nothing to me!" Zeromus cackled.

"Oh really? I don't think so!" Edge retorted, tossing the shuriken at the lunarian. The weapon struck true, and spilled Zeromus blood.

"What!? Impossible! How...?" He let out a fearsome growl. "I'll slay you all! _Flare!_"

There was sudden blast of extreme energy that hit Kain, and he let out a grunt of pain. He tasted blood in his mouth, but glared back at Zeromus with determination.

_Yet... how will I jump?_

"Kain!" Rydia's voice called to him. The dragoon looked over at the summoner. "Let me make a platform for you! _Blizzaga!_"

Ice collided together, forming a small platform. Kain was wondering how he would leap off a slippery surface, but he trusted that Rydia had a plan.

And she did.

"_Break!_" she chanted, turning the icy platform into a rocky slab. "There you go! Use that to strike him!"

Kain nodded. "Thank you, Rydia!" He swam over to the platform and stepped upon it. Oddly enough, he felt steady on the platform. _If Edge's shurikens can strike him... then my jumping attack should work!_

The dragoon pushed himself to leap into the air, and he flew upward. Pointing his lance at Zeromus, he fell and struck the lunarian in the chest, spilling more blood. Kain bounced off his foe and landed on the platform Rydia had made for him.

"No! No!" Zeromus cried. "I'll turn you dust!" Then, Kain felt the gravity of the area shift and he was pushed backward. Lightning broke across the space, striking him and all his allies. He heard Rosa scream, Rydia shriek, Edge groan loudly, and yet nothing from Cecil.

Then, there was a giant explosion in the middle of arcing lightning that blasted Kain off his platform. A single glance told him that it had shattered to pieces. He exhaled rapidly, feeling blood run down his face. He grit his teeth and pushed himself forward. _One more strike like that... and we will die._

"_Curaja!_" Rosa's voice echoed. Bright healing light surrounded each member of the party and Kain felt his wounds close again. He smiled. What would they do without their white mage?

"Bahamut!" Rydia's shouting voice echoed. "I call upon thee for thy aid!" Summoning orbs spun around her and then split away.

A large gray dragon appeared at her side. He glared at Zeromus, but said nothing. Opening his mouth, Bahamut unleashed a ray of devastating energy onto the lunarian. For the first time, Kain heard Zeromus scream. It was the most frightening and deafening scream he had ever heard. Shrill and dark at the same time, Zeromus's scream threatened to break Kain's ears.

Bahamut vanished, and the lunarian was covered with open wounds.

"No... I.. cannot die..." he gasped, spitting out blood. "I... I..."

"You'll do nothing," Cecil said with finality. Taking Ragnarok in hand, Cecil swam over in a fast swoop and slashed across Zeromus's body. The holy power of sword combined with the lunar light given to the paladin opened a gigantic wound in the lunarian.

Zeromus screamed again, and Kain found himself standing in the moon's core chamber. The party stood together, all with triumphant figures, their eyes stamped on Zeromus.

"I will never die... as long as there is darkness in the hearts of men!" he said. Rays of light burst from his body. "Urrrgh... gaaaaah!" And with that, he disintegrated into particles.

-S-

Rydia felt the passion in Kain's telling of their battle with Zeromus; she hadn't told her version in such detail. She looked at her students and saw stunned faces of wonder and respect. And then, she saw, to her shock, that Milina was glowing a green light.

_Could it be...?_ Rydia thought with eagerness.

"W-wow..." one of the boys said. "That's... amazing. The paladin was so brave!"

"And our teacher really helped you, didn't she?" said another boy.

Kain nodded. "Indeed she did," he said. He lifted his palm into the air slightly. "She was a priceless ally and friend to our cause. I hope Cecil's courage inspires you all to try your best to become like your teacher."

"Yeah!" the children all cried out. They started cheering.

"What's happening to me?" Milina said. The children stopped cheering and looked over at her. Stunned expressions—again—crossed every face. "I'm... I'm glowing?"

Rydia stood up, clasping her hands together. _I remember... I glowed like that when..._ Then, Milina was surrounded by green summoning orbs, which circled her and then flew away.

There was a cry in the distance; the cry of a chocobo. Rydia looked up to see one leap over her school and land next to Milina. The girl was startled, but calmed down as the chocobo nuzzled her hair.

Tears began to roll down Rydia's cheek. Unspeakable joy filled her heart. "Milina! You did it! You summoned a chocobo!" she exclaimed.

"I... I did?" Milina asked. She giggled as the bird kept playing with her hair. "But... how?"

"It was the dragoon's story!" one of the boy's said. "It had to be!"

_Yes... it was... it was Kain's version of the story._ Rydia wiped her eyes. Rosa had been right about the summoner bloodline. And she was grateful for the white mage's faith.

Soon, all the children were trying to summon like Milina had. A few of them started to glow like she had, but no one else was able to conjure a chocobo. Others were disappointed, but Rydia cheered them up.

"Don't worry, some are slower than others," she said, patting one of the girl's on the shoulder. "I'm sure you'll eventually be able to summon just like Milina soon."

Time passed by quickly, and soon it was time for a lunch break. The children went into the school house with their meals to eat, leaving Kain and Rydia alone.

Her eyes were still filled with tears, and she could not stop them. She felt a wide smile on her face, and her heart was warm and peaceful.

"It appears that your dream is coming true, Rydia," Kain said from behind her. "I'm glad for you."

Rydia spun around and embraced him. She felt him stagger a little, probably surprised at her reaction. "Thank you, Kain. Thank you so much..."

"You are very welcome, Rydia." She felt his arms wrap around her. They held each other for a moment, and then released.

"Will you stay for the rest of the day?" she asked. She was beginning to feel even more odd sensations about him. "I mean... you haven't seen a whole school day yet."

"Of course," Kain nodded. "I'll leave tomorrow morning."

"All right," Rydia said. She wiped her eyes again. She reached into her pouch and searched for an inn voucher. Finally, she found the small piece of paper and pulled it out. She smiled at Kain as she handed it to him.

"This is...?"

"It's a voucher," Rydia said, pointing at it. "It'll allow you to have a free night at the inn. Think of it as my thanks for helping my students."

Kain smiled. "You don't need to thank me, but I am grateful for your kindness," he said.

Rydia couldn't help but smile back at him.

-S-

It was late, and Rydia had to sleep. She felt so tired from the day's events, yet she still maintained the happiness that she felt earlier when Milina summoned the chocobo. She undressed and slid into her bed, sighing.

Kain's image kept crawling into her mind as she tried to sleep. A thought entered her head. _Perhaps... you have another choice._

_Another choice? For the ball?_ Rydia opened her eyes and began to muse to herself quietly about her thoughts. Her feelings for Kain at that moment were extensive, but she knew they would only last for a short time. _Maybe... I could ask Kain to the ball instead._ She frowned. _But what about Edge then? ... I don't know._

She laid back down into bed, and fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The morning rays told Kain it was time to rise. He got up from his bed and took up his armor, and lance. He remembered watching Rydia teach the previous day. She was magnificent. Always showing her care and love for the students, she had a talent for keeping the childrens' attention, even when they were not learning about summoning.

"All right," Rydia had said after their lunch break. "I know you're all excited to practice summoning again, but you know my rules. We should cover every subject."

Her pupils all moaned with disappointment.

"But..." Rydia added with a smile. She raised a finger. "What do you want to do? Practice summoning for twenty more minutes or go straight to math?"

Kain was surprised. _She's giving them options?_ he thought with wonder. _A strange teaching style..._ Yet it seemed fair; allowing her children to be given the choice of what they desired to learn.

"Summoning!" they all cheered, jumping up and down with utter excitement.

Rydia's smile split into a grin. "All right, then," she said. She waved her finger up and down. "We'll practice for twenty minutes and then we'll move onto math. Does that sound fair?"

The students all nodded. Again, they cheered, and soon enough they began to focus, concentrating on summoning. Kain watched as many of them gripped their hands, and closed their eyes with determination on their faces.

Within a few minutes, again, some of them began to glow like Milina did earlier. Many of them lost the glow, but a couple finally called upon their young powers and chocobos arrived to their aid. The others became disappointed again, but Rydia (and the students who had successfully summoned) continued to encourage them.

"I did it!" another student cried as a chocobo arrived at his side.

"Wonderful!" Rydia said, clapping. "You worked so hard, Mark." Her eyes ran over the other students. "Don't worry, and don't look so sad, my students. You all have the potential in you to summon. I know it!"

Her compassionate words cheered up those in sorrow. _She... really is... wonderful._ His heart felt like it was moving a little faster. A thought came to his mind. _Maybe she'll ask you to the ball..._ But he shook his head. _I don't think that would happen. She'll pick Edge._

Soon, twenty minutes had passed, and the now happy pupils were ready for math. Rydia led them into the school house, and Kain followed. Inside, he sat at one of the tables, away from the students, and continued to observe the summoner teach.

_That was yesterday..._ he thought, returning to the present. He recalled how he felt when the students had seen him as noble. His heart had felt warm and comfortable. _She is truly lucky to have such wonderful students._

He finished putting on his armor, and strapped his lance to his back as usual. Kain thanked the innkeeper on his way out. Outside, the rays of the sun poured onto his body. But even so, his armor did not become burdensome with the heat. He smelled the distant scent of a wild chocobo—always a foul smell—and he assumed Rydia was teaching again.

Kain walked toward the school house to see it once more before he returned to Baron. There were not many chocobos like before, and the students were still trying their best to summon. When the students saw him, they ran up to him.

"Will you tell us the story again, please?" one of the boys, Mark asked.

"Yes, please!" Milina pleaded. "It might help the others! Please, Mr. Kain?"

He sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, children," he said. They all sagged their shoulders. "But I need to return to Baron to fulfill my duties. The King needs me I'm certain. But, perhaps I will come back one day," he added with a smile.

The children were quiet, and then one of them said, "Okay... promise us you'll come back!"

"Of course he will," Rydia said. Kain looked up to see her approach, a broad smile on her face. "Right, Kain?"

He nodded and returned the smile. "I will. I promise."

"Tell the King 'hi' for us!" Mark said.

Kain nodded again. "Farewell," he said to them. He turned around and headed for the Mist Cavern, hearing a chorus of 'good-byes' from the childrens' sweet voices. It made him wonder... _Will I ever be a father?_

-S-

It was late at night when Kain returned to Baron Castle. He was greeted by the guards and allowed inside. He was surprised to see Cecil waiting for him in the courtyard. The paladin was grinning at him.

Kain blinked. "You were waiting for me, Cecil?"

He chuckled. "That's some way to say 'hello,' Kain." Cecil regained his composure. "How was your trip to Mist?"

"Very enjoyable," Kain responded. "I watched Rydia teach. She is astounding. She's able to hold the students' attention without fail. She also negotiated with her pupils that day I was there if they wanted to continue summoning training or go straight to mathematics. I've never seen such a teaching style."

"The children wanted to learn more about summoning?" Cecil asked with a raised brow. He scratched his chin. "That's odd. They usually do, but Rydia has always had a hard time finding the potential in them."

"Not this time," Kain said. Cecil perked up and blinked. "I... was asked by her pupils to tell them the story about our battle with Zeromus. I focused on your courage, and because of it, a young girl named Milina was able to summon a chocobo. It appears the summoner bloodline has not been lost as many have feared."

"Amazing!" Cecil exclaimed with a wide grin. "Kain, you must have made her day! She's been trying to get them to summon a chocobo for months!" He patted him on the shoulder, almost slamming it. "Good job, my friend."

"Thank you," Kain said. "But... I don't think it was my story alone. After all, the children have their own choices, do they not? They must have chosen to follow their teacher's and your example in order to summon."

"Very good, very good," Cecil said with an approving voice. "Kain, I was waiting for you for a different reason though." The paladin's face became grave. "I need you to complete a mission for me."

"All right, what is it?" Kain asked.

"Some rebels recently have stolen an airship that was part of the Red Wings," Cecil explained, his expression now grave. "We assume some are some of our men, and others were of Eblanese origin; ninjas." He exhaled a heavy sigh. "There is some evidence that there were ninjas as our mages detected traces of ninjustu."

"I see," Kain said. He worked his jaw. Cecil had been right earlier—the reasons for building a military were already starting to be revealed to Kain. "So, the airship was stolen right under our noses."

"Precisely," the paladin said, nodding. He folded his arms. "You are the Captain of the Red Wings as I told you before. So, I want you to find the stolen airship. You will commandeer an airship and two others will come with you. You'll be given a crew of dragoons and sun knights."

"Very well," Kain said, doing his best to avoid calling Cecil his liege. "It will be done. The airship shall be returned to you speedily. Do you know where it was last seen?"

"Yes," Cecil said, nodding. "It's been reported that they were last spotted over the Damcyan Desert. Though, they could be anywhere by now." He paused. "I'm sorry to ask this of you so late, and you are probably tired from your journey, but it is an emergency, Kain."

"I understand completely, my friend," he said with a smile. "Don't worry about me, I will stop the rebels."

"Good," the paladin said, returning the smile. "Be sure to bring back the rebels alive. I'm sure Edge will want to deal with the wayward ninjas."

"I agree," Kain said. "All right, I will head to the hangar at once."

"Good luck, my old friend," Cecil said to him.

-S-

_One week later..._

The cool air swept through Rydia's short hair. It was a pleasant feeling to ride on an airship and be above the clouds. She sighed, and took in the scent of fresh air. The Falcon flew across the sky like a gigantic crimson bird. It had taken Edge a lot of effort to convince Eblan's Chancellor to let him fly alone.

Yet, even the flight on the Falcon was not enough to remove her feelings. _Kain..._ she thought. _I want to... ask him to the ball, but... what about Edge? I don't want to hurt his feelings._ She had yet to tell him about her feelings about Kain; she knew the prince would become easily jealous.

"Having fun, Rydia?" Edge asked from the helm. The Falcon made a gentle turn to the left, and gave its passengers a lovely view of the world below. Rydia spotted the island of Agart—the large hole leading to the Underworld still there.

Then, she remembered Edge had asked her a question. "Oh!" she said. "Yes, I am." She smiled, leaning on the rails of the airship. "I always love airship rides, Edge. I feel like... I'm free."

"Especially when flying with me, eh?" Edge said with a laugh.

Rydia couldn't help but giggle. She indeed felt free on an airship, except for this time. _Edge or Kain? Edge or Kain?_ She bit her lip, and swallowed. _Should I tell Edge? Come on, Rydia, be brave!_

"Are you okay back there?" Edge called. Rydia glanced over to see him looking back at her; concerned. "You've been really quiet this time."

"Edge... I..." Rydia tried to speak. She swallowed again. Standing up from the rails, she took a step toward him and opened her mouth.

"You look disturbed," Edge said. "Come here, tell me what's bothering you, Rydia." He turned his head to face the fore of the ship, but made occasional glances back at her.

Rydia walked up until she was behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Edge... I've been thinking much about Kain as of late," she finally managed to say after a minute.

"What do you mean?" Edge asked, his voice was already growing jealous. "You've been thinking about him?"

"Yes, I have," she said. She felt anxious. "You see, last week, he... came to watch me teach. My children noticed him, and they wanted to hear what our battle with Zeromus was like."

"Zeromus..." Edge said with a quiet voice, so quiet that Rydia almost missed it. "Your children... not to be rude, but they didn't give Kain any lip, did they?"

Rydia smiled again. "Oh no," she said, wondering why he was concerned about the dragoon. "They saw him as the noble dragoon that helped the paladin 'kill the bad bad lunarian.' It made him happy, I'm sure."

"Oh, of course," Edge responded. His voice was still jealous, but it was gentle. "How did he tell the story?"

"He... well, told it in a much different way than I did," Rydia continued, feeling nervous. She rubbed Edge's shoulders, hoping it would ease his envy. "He focused so much on Cecil's courage that... Milina... one of my pupils, managed to summon a chocobo."

The prince was silent for a long time; an uncomfortable silence. "Hmm... well," he finally spoke. "A chocobo... you've been working so hard to find the bloodline... and it isn't lost. I'm happy for you." There was still envy in his voice, but Rydia could sense his sensitive feelings were genuine. "So, I'm assuming... you want to ask Kain to the ball?"

"I... I..." Rydia stumbled over her words. "I... I really am not sure." She let go of Edge's shoulders and hung her head. "He did something wonderful for me... and... yet I don't want you to feel bad. I'm... I'm torn, Edge. I need someone to talk to."

She felt a hand pat her on her shoulder. Rydia looked up to see Edge's face looking at her; she could sense a smile behind his face mask. "Don't worry about it," he said. "I'm sure you'll come to a decision. You've never struck me as the type of woman that could never make a choice and stick with it."

Rydia smiled at him. "Thank you, Edge," she said.

"Don't let your worries ruin the flight, Rydia," he said. "Let them go into the wind for now, and let yourself choose later. Just enjoy the ride. I hate seeing you so unhappy."

Her smile widened and she placed her hands on his shoulders again. "Thank you for being so sweet, Edge."

"It's my pleasure," he said.

-S-

It had been four days since Kain had seized the rebels, and taken back the stolen Red Wings airship. Cecil had been correct: the rebels were of Baron and Eblan origin. The Baron rebels were able to lead the ninjas into the hangar and access the airship while the Eblanese men used their ninjustu to vanish and take the airship without being noticed. The rebels had been captured after a vicious fight, and detained by Kain. Then, he gave the Baron and Eblanese men to Cecil and Edge respectively so they could decide what to do with them.

Now, it was a week before the ball, and Kain still didn't have a partner. He assumed Rydia had already chosen Edge, so there was no chance there. _Yet... I kept thinking about her during that mission, _he thought. _Why? Cecil... told me that I'm 'hooked.'_

The feelings that had arisen in his heart for the summoner were not foreign to him. Yet, he continued to deny them, faithless that any good would come of such things.

At the same time, however, he had feared to go to the town of Baron or to Mist to see if any lady would ask him. For, if he had been forgiven by many, if not all, then he would be horded by ladies, begging him to take one of them to the event.

He was not entirely sure what he was afraid of. It was possible that he did not want to swarmed by dozens of women. Or was there something else holding him back?

_I can't go with Rydia..._ he kept reminding himself over and over again. He was not alone with these thoughts, though. On the day he returned with the rebels, he had talked to Cecil about his feelings.

-S-

"Excellent job, Kain!" Cecil had praised him. "I knew you'd come through. I'll send an epistle to Edge so he can handle the ninja rebels. I'm not sure our prisons can hold enemies with ninjustu." He exhaled, sounding saddened. Kain knew why—Cecil did not want to use the dungeons of Baron Castle again, yet the times called for their renewal.

"Cecil... I wish to speak with you in private," Kain requested.

The paladin blinked and he frowned. "About what?" He gazed at his friend. "Something's bothering you, I can tell."

Kain nodded. "If you would," he said.

"All right," Cecil said, licking his lips. "Follow me." He led Kain to the gardens of the castle and turned east into a secluded section of the garden. There, he sat down on a bench and beckoned to his friend. "Come, sit."

He nodded again, and sat down next to Cecil. Kain removed his helmet and sighed. "I should be more confident about these things. After all, I loved Rosa, too. It's strange that I have to take a step back."

He looked at Cecil and saw the paladin with raised brows. "What are you talking about, Kain?" He snorted lightly and smiled. "You've jumped into the water without teaching me to swim, so to speak."

Kain chuckled. That improved his mood. "I... I have been thinking about Rydia of late."

Cecil narrowed his eyes. "Really...?"

"I expected that reaction," Kain responded with a grin. "From one who sees himself as the big brother."

"Indeed. You mentioned loving Rosa, and your confidence first," Cecil said, shaking his head and keeping his eyes on Kain. "So, I imagine you're having similar feelings about Rydia..."

"You are quite perceptive, my friend," he said. Kain looked away and down at the grass. "Ever since I came back, I've been having constant dreams about her. I keep remembering her kindness in helping me return to Baron. And... the time she offered to help me in the Sealed Cave."

"Sealed Cave? When in the Sealed Cave?" Cecil asked. "I do not recall this."

"You were asleep," he explained. "I was taking watch after we had retrieved the Dark Crystal, and Rydia came out of the cottage, telling me she couldn't sleep. We talked for awhile, and then she offered to counter-spell Golbez if he tried to take my mind again."

"That's right," Cecil said. "I remember her trying to do that when Golbez was trying to get a hold of you again." He sighed. "It was a shame that she wasn't strong enough at the time to pierce his magic."

"I know," Kain said, still not looking at Cecil. "I know far too well..."

He heard Cecil chuckle. "Forget about it," he said. "Kain, look at me." He did so. "I'm assuming you're wishing that Rydia might ask you to the ball? Just to see if you two will get along?"

"Perhaps..." Kain said. He scratched his head. "I just cannot stop thinking about her. I couldn't stop during the mission. Although I was able to focus on my tasks, she was always in the background of my mind."

There was a silent pause where Kain could only the wind. Then Cecil snorted lightly and smiled at him. "It sounds to me like you're hooked," he said, surprising the dragoon. "Though, I wonder if she feels the same way? Have you noticed any reciprocation from her?"

"No... I..." Kain stopped. "Wait, yes! She gave me an odd, playful smirk when she told me that women like men with confidence, and when I helped her students learn to summon, she embraced me... with tears of joy."

"I'm not certain about the hug," Cecil said. "But a playful smirk is something..." He put a hand on his own leg. "What do _you_ think you should do?"

Kain worked his jaw and said nothing for awhile. _What would I do?_ "... I don't know. But I'll think of something."

"All right," Cecil said. "Give it some thought, my friend. You have some time before the ball starts." He smiled and there was a sparkle in his eye. "Good luck."

-S-

Leaning against the battlements, Kain was still struggling with himself inside. However, an idea came to his mind. _If visiting her at Mist attracting her attention to me—that is, if—then maybe I should try to spend some time with her._ Had she picked Edge? He'd never know. There was no reward without risk. _I have to try._


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

A little less than a week had passed since Rydia had flown with Edge. It was two days before the ball, and she was getting anxious. _I still haven't asked either Edge or Kain..._ she thought. She could imagine Edge's impatience at this point—though, he always reserved a little more patience for her—wondering what was taking her so long to ask.

But what was Kain feeling about the situation? Did he even want to go with her or did he still have a place in his heart for Rosa? _Rosa's married..._ Rydia reminded herself. _Kain wouldn't dare..._ Yet, she could think of nothing that showed any interest from the dragoon. He hadn't showed up again to see her teach for one thing. _He's just busy at Baron... it takes almost a day to get from here to there anyway._

School was canceled for the day because she wanted to go to Baron and visit (and prepare for the ball). She needed advice from Rosa. Had she been torn between two men before? Perhaps once, the white mage had to choose between Cecil and Kain.

There was a rapping at her door. Rydia stood up, walked over, and opened the door to see Mark's face. She stepped outside, feeling stunned; the children had come, but with saddened countenances.

"Why is there no school, today, Miss Rydia?" Mark asked.

"You're... all here?" she asked, blinking. "Why?" she allowed herself a chuckle, but she still felt confused. "I sent letters to all your parents—"

"We know," Milina said. "But we wanted to come see you." Her face was downcast. "I dunno about the others, but I wanna learn more about summoning!"

Choruses of "yeah!" and cheering sounded from the students.

Rydia smiled; a sad smile. "I'm sorry, but I have somewhere to go this weekend and I need to prepare. That's why there's no school today. I promise to come back on Monday, and we'll learn more about summoning. All right?" Their faces all dropped. "I'm really sorry. I had no idea that all of you wanted to learn so much."

"Where are you going?" one of the children asked.

"Oh." Rydia smiled again; not a sad one however. "I'm going to a ball—a dance," she added quickly, "with my friends and some royalty at Damcyan Castle. The castle's been rebuilt and the Prince wanted to celebrate."

"Wow!" the children chorused.

"Is the dragoon going?"

"Are you going to dance with him?"

"What about Cecil—err—the King! Is he going, too?"

Rydia laughed upon being bombarded by so many questions. "Yes, Cecil is going,"she said. She was about to answer the question about Kain, but she stopped and saw her pupils' eager eyes, awaiting an answer.

"Yes," she said after a long pause. "The dragoon is going. As for... well..." she sat down. "At this dance, everyone has a partner. And... Prince Edward said that he would let the ladies choose." She heard "oohs" from her pupils. She swallowed. "So, I have to pick someone to go with."

"Are you going with the dragoon then?" Milina asked. "He was very nice last time."

_He was._ Rydia let out a sigh. "There are two men who I'm... trying to choose from. There's Edge, Prince of Eblan, and Kain—the dragoon you all met. They both helped Cecil defeat the bad lunarian."

"Go with Kain!" Mark encouraged. Rydia felt taken aback. "Because... wouldn't Edge take you away from Mist? From us?"

"It's... not that simple," she said, biting her lip. "He's been trying very hard to think of a way so that I could still teach you; he does care." The children looked surprised. She smiled weakly. "Besides, the dance isn't going to decide who I marry or anything like that. It's just a friendly event."

"Oh..." The children seemed disappointed.

"Anyway, I promise that I will come back on Monday," Rydia said. She paused, wiping a tear from her eye. "I'm... so happy you all came." Her pupils beamed. "Now, you should head to your homes! I'm sure your parents will want to see you."

They nodded. Waving goodbye, Rydia watched as the children walked away. Again, she wiped her eyes. _I can't believe they came... even when there was no school today._

After she had watched the children leave, Rydia returned to her house, and packed her things. _Kain... or Edge?_ Her students seem to want her to go with Kain, but... she wanted to choose for herself. Yet, their enthusiasm concerning the dragoon stunned her. Did they really love him that much?

When she finished packing her clothes and everything she would need for the ball, Rydia left the house. She made sure to lock the doors to her private quarters and the house itself before taking her leave.

As she entered the outskirts, she saw the same stump that she sat upon on the first day of class. Rydia stopped and she smiled. _I promise, my children..._ and then continued on her way to the Mist Cavern.

-S-

Kain was pacing the battlements of Baron Castle; he had been far too busy to visit Rydia at Mist, and it was beginning to irritate him. Though, it was not Cecil's fault, the recent rebellion had required Kain's attention. Fortunately, it seemed that they had curbed the rebels' activity; ironically in time for the ball.

_The ball..._ Kain thought with a sigh. He still had not found anyone—or in reality he had not been asking. Perhaps he was too scared to ask. No, it was not as if he lacked confidence, but he wished for something more; something that seemed impossible.

"Why greetings, Lady Rydia!" Kain heard one of the front gate guards call from below. "We are assuming you wish to enter?"

He stopped pacing and turned toward the field. Sure enough, the summoner was standing in front of the gate, a wide smile on her face, and stroking a chocobo's neck.

"Yes, I do," she said. "Thank you." One of the guards took her chocobo and led it to the stables while the other guard (as Kain could guess from the rumbling of the gate) open the portal for her.

_What... is she doing here?_ Kain blinked. This was his chance. He waited for a moment until he heard the gates beginning to close, and then jumped down from the battlements to the courtyard below. He landed with a soft _thud_ on the ground; hearing a startled gasp nearby.

"Oh, Kain!" Rydia said from behind him. He looked over to her to see her hand on her chest. She laughed softly. "You'd think I would I have expected that."

He smiled, and his mood began to improve. "Greetings, Rydia. I'm pleased to see you." She blinked, looking slightly stunned yet she smiled.

"I'm happy to see you, too, Kain," she said, placing one hand on her hip. "Have you found someone for the ball yet?"

_She's asking me about that so soon?_ he wondered, curious. "No, I have not," he said. Licking his lips, he added, "would you like to accompany me to the gardens? I wanted to walk and converse with you."

Again, she looked surprised. A curious expression fell onto her face. "Really?" she asked. "Huh... all right." Rydia moved to his side. "Sure, I'll come with you. I was looking for Rosa, though."

"I see," Kain said. "Do you want to see her first?"

The summoner paused, her eyes moved up in their sockets as she posed her lips. _What is she thinking about?_ Kain watched as Rydia rubbed her chin and then nodded.

"Yes," she said. "But I promise I'll come back to see you. Is that all right, Kain?" She placed her hands together in front of her waist while cocking her head to the side.

Kain smiled again. "Of course. Come, and follow me. I think I know where Rosa is." He turned toward the castle, and heard Rydia's footsteps behind him as he led the way across the courtyard. He turned a corner. _She should be... ah._

Rosa was walking down the east corridor casually. She hadn't noticed Kain or Rydia yet because she was staring the side of the wall. Her unfocused eyes told Kain that she was probably musing about something.

"Rosa!" Rydia called. She had dashed around Kain to meet her. The white mage looked up just in time to be hugged by the summoner. "I see I caught you off-guard." Kain made a quiet chuckle.

Rosa smiled and let go of Rydia. "Yes, you did. It's nice to see you again; you were gone last weekend," she noted. "Preparing for the ball?"

"Well... uh..." Rydia's bright face dimmed. Kain saw her glance back at him. Was that a nervous glance or an apprehensive one? "Sort of," she finally said to Rosa. "Is it all right if I talk to you alone? I... uh... need some advice."

Rosa blinked, her face curious. "Of course." She looked at Kain with the same expression. She then looked back at the summoner, and nodded. "Follow me." She turned around and began walking the opposite way down the corridor.

Rydia nodded, and Kain was confused. _What was that glance? What does it mean?_ He began to worry until she glanced back at him again, this time with a smile, and waved. He returned the expression and waved back. _I wonder where I should wait? We didn't decide on a meeting place._

He decided to lean against the wall. Perhaps Rydia would come this direction again. Although she had smiled, Kain still wondered. _That glance earlier... she looked anxious about something... and she said she needed 'advice' from Rosa. I wonder what?_

He felt inclined to ask later, but it wasn't his business.

Or was it?

-S-

"I see," Rosa said, walking down the corridor with Rydia at her side. "I didn't know you had feelings for Kain as well."

Rydia tapped her fingers together in a nervous fashion. "I'm not sure what to do. Had you... ever felt torn between Cecil and Kain before you chose Cecil?"

She nodded. "Yes, I did at one point." Rydia saw a smirk on her face. "I'm surprised Kain is trapped in a woman's heart again."

Rydia rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, Rosa. He only... well, I told you... he helped my children, and I just wanted to know... I was curious."

Rosa chuckled. "I was teasing you, Rydia."

She bit her lip. "What did you do when you were torn?" she asked the white mage.

"It was hard on me," she said, her face softening. "I, like you, could not choose between Cecil or Kain. When I was younger, I favored Kain, but as I got older, I began to favor Cecil."

"What did you end up doing? I mean, how did you choose?"

"I decided to court each one to see which one of them was who I wanted," Rosa said. She touched Rydia's shoulder. "If you're curious about Kain... maybe you should ask him to the ball. You already know Edge well enough. You should give our dragoon a chance."

Rydia took in a deep breath. "Yes, I think you're right." She looked at the white mage and smiled at her. "Thank you, Rosa."

"Anytime, dear."

-S-

Rydia walked back down the corridor after discussing more matters with her. The more she thought of Kain and how he helped her school, the more she wanted to ask him. _Yet, I can't let my desires hinge on my schooling. That's silly,_ she reminded herself.

There was a light sound of metal moving across the stone floor ahead of her. Rydia looked up to see Kain waiting for her right where she had left him. _What's he going to say? That I was gone too long?_ she worried. She realized her anxiety was increasing. Should she really ask him?

The dragoon nodded at her in acknowledgment. "Were you able to receive the advice you needed from Rosa?" he asked, his deep voice more gentle than usual.

A smile spread over her face. "Yes, I did," she said. Rydia found herself rocking her entangled hands back and forth behind her body nervously. "Um... what did you want to see me about again?"

"Come, let's go through the gardens," Kain said, beckoning with his left hand toward the inner courtyard. "I wanted to talk to you to see... how you are faring these days."

She blinked. "Oh! Well, sure," she said, untangling her hands and feeling herself relax a little. _I wonder what he's feeling?_ "I'll come with you."

"Of course." He smiled. Rydia followed him into the inner courtyard. He paused for a second and she stopped wondering why. "Aren't you going to walk beside me?" he asked gently.

"Oh! I'm sorry," she said. She ran up to his side and licked her lips. "I suppose it's awkward to talk to someone when you're not walking next to them." She forced a laugh.

"Indeed," Kain said. "Rydia... how have you been? I haven't seen you in awhile."

_He's not going to ask me about school? That's new._ She smiled. "I'm happy... for the most part. I... uh... haven't picked a partner yet for the ball." _Ooohh! Why did I say that now?_ "I mean...!" She swallowed. "I... uh..." She looked at Kain to see a shocked expression on his face. "Why... are you surprised?" _Because you haven't asked anyone, silly!_

"Because I thought you would have already asked Edge," Kain said slowly. "Is there something bothering you?"

"... yes," Rydia said.

"Tell me about it," Kain said with a kind voice. "I'll do my best to help."

Again, she smiled. "Thank you, Kain," she said. "I... wasn't around last weekend because I was on an airship ride with Edge."

"And...?"

_Huh... he doesn't sound jealous._ She relaxed a little before continuing. "Well... I was deciding who to ask to the ball. I felt... a little torn. That's why I went to Rosa for advice." _I don't need to tell him this, do I?_

"Ah, I see," the dragoon said, nodding. "Who is the other contender?"

Rydia sighed. "Yes, but... I..." She swallowed; she felt like it was not the right time to tell him. Not yet anyway. "Kain, please, I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable."

"Forgive me," he said. "Come, let's go into the gardens and enjoy the beauty there. Perhaps it will relax your nerves."

Rydia nodded. _That's so thoughtful of him._ "Thank you. Yes, let's go there. I've always loved Rosa's gardens."

Kain chuckled—the type that calmed her senses. "So I've heard."

Soon after, they entered the gardens. Kain changed the subject to Rydia's school, and her life even. She was surprised that he wanted to know more about her. He asked her about she restored Mist to its current glory.

"It was Cecil and Rosa who really helped me," Rydia explained, sitting down on a bench. She gazed at all the beautiful flowers, and plants. She felt herself relax a little. "They gave me the money I needed to help rebuild the town. Of course, I had to rally the people to do it; they were all downcast and believed the bloodline was lost forever."

"And that's why you started the school?" Kain asked, sitting down next to her.

"Yes!" she said. "I wanted to cheer them up and encourage them; give them hope that there was a chance. I gave the money to the carpenters and stonemasons, and told them to rebuild the village. They were all shocked, and some wanted to refuse the gil, but I insisted."

"I see, they didn't want the money," Kain said. "What did you do?"

"We made a compromise," Rydia said, glancing at Kain. She noticed he was paying total attention to her. "I received some of the gil to start the school, while they took the rest to start the renovations."

He chuckled. "I was wondering where you got the money to build your school if you were going to give it all away." Rydia half-smiled at him. "I mean no offense," he added. "I just wanted to understand your train of thought."

"Oh... well, I guess I wasn't thinking about myself at the time," she said. Her half-smile grew into a full one. "I only cared that the village was restored. I must have believed I would have received the money needed for the school elsewhere. Or maybe I just didn't think I would need money." She put her face in her hands, still smiling. "I must sound like an idiot to you, Kain."

"I don't think so," he said after a long pause. Rydia looked up at him in surprise. "It's just like you: you always care about others before yourself. I believe that's an admirable trait."

"Oh... thank you," Rydia said again. "Kain... can I... ask you something?" She swallowed. _Will he say 'yes?'_

"What is it?" he asked, looking at her curiously. At least, Rydia thought he was, but behind his blue eyes, she could see a glimmer of eagerness.

"Will you... be my partner for the ball?" Her face felt warm and she started to sweat.

He didn't say anything for several moments. Then, he smiled and said, "it would be an honor, Rydia."

"... thank you so much, Kain," she responded, feeling herself once again relax.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"So, I've handled the rebels on my side," Edge said, walking beside Cecil on the battlements of Baron Castle. The evening sky was beginning to show the first signs of stars. "What about your rebels?"

"I have them detained in the dungeons," he said. He let out a sigh of dismay, and put a hand on his brow. "I had hoped that we did not have to use them again."

Edge shrugged. "Well, it was bound to happen," he said. "I mean... when things change in the government, there are going to be some bastards that don't like the new regime."

"I suppose you're right," Cecil said. Edge felt the paladin's eyes on him. "How do you keep your ninja rebels contained, though? They have ninjustu just like you do, Edge. They should be able to pass through walls."

Edge laughed, and then looked at Cecil. "They aren't as skilled as me. I doubt they know that justu. But... you are right about one thing—we have to contain them differently than you would. We have some wards against ninjustu within the dungeons."

"What about the guards?"

"They wear a special ring that allows them to use their ninjustu," Edge explained. He held up a hand, showing a black ring on his finger. "These rings are tailored to each individual guard, which means if someone else wore it, the ring would have no effect on them."

"Clever. But such rings must cost a pretty gil to make," Cecil remarked.

"They do," Edge said, nodding. "But—hey, isn't that Rydia down there?" he went over to the edge of the battlement and peered over into the gardens. "What's she doing with Kain?" _Wait... she didn't! _he thought, alarmed. "Damn..."

"What's wrong?" Cecil asked. Edge didn't look at him. "You sound worried. They are probably just spending some time together as friends." But Edge could see through the paladin's voice. His tone told him that Cecil knew something.

"She asked him... didn't she?" he said. He turned to Cecil, frowning. "What do you know? I heard your voice; I know you're hiding something about this!"

"Edge, calm down," the paladin said. He licked his lips and sighed. "You're right, I do know. Kain's been... having feelings for Rydia. He told me he was having dreams and couldn't stop thinking about her."

Edge's jaw dropped. "W-wait! No way! You didn't tell him to—"

"No, I didn't," Cecil said. "I let him think for himself while talking to him. Don't be alarmed over this. If she's really asked him, and Kain's accepted, it's only a dance." He smiled. "I doubt you'll lose her attention over an event."

He swallowed and let out a sigh. _He's right. I've had Rydia's attention for years. Yet..._ he looked back at the two talking in the garden. _...I'm worried._

"Edge?" Cecil asked. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I am," he said, nodding. "I just need to calm down. Rydia told me she was also having feelings for Kain, but she said she felt 'torn' between me and him."

"Really? When did she tell you this?" Cecil asked. Edge turned around to see a curious expression on the paladin's face.

"Last weekend," Edge said with a sigh. "I took her on the Falcon for a flight. It took some work to convince my Chancellor to let us go alone." He forced a chuckle. "But anyway, she was very nervous and I noticed it. I asked what was going on, and she told me about Kain helping her students summon a chocobo through a story he told. I felt jealous, but... you know I'd never be angry with her."

Cecil nodded. "Indeed," he said quietly. "You and Rydia grew rather close these past two years."

"We have. But... she seemed disturbed," Edge continued. "She said she was 'torn' between me and Kain."

Cecil worked his jaw. "And you said?"

"Well, I told her that she should make a decision," Edge said to him. He looked back over the battlement, watching Rydia and the dragoon walk side by side. "But... I do want to ask her if she did choose him for the ball."

"Well," Cecil said. "Whether or not she has, don't fight with Kain over her. He's our friend after all."

"Yes," Edge responded, still watching Rydia and Kain. "She's not the type that would appreciate two men dueling over her. No, I'm not going to attack Kain over this."

"Good," Cecil said. "Did you want to discuss any more of the rebel matter?"

"Not now," Edge said, taking his hands off the battlement ledge. "I want to talk to Rydia first."

"As you wish, my friend."

-S-

"All right, Kain," Rydia said to him as they entered the outer courtyard near the entrance of the castle. "I will see you at the ball." She smiled at him. Her shoulders were relaxed and her muscles lacked the tension she felt earlier.

The dragoon nodded. "Of course. I look forward to it," he said, returning the smile.

The two separated, and Rydia headed to the castle entrance. The guards allowed her inside. She sought out her room, which was on the second floor of the main part of the castle. She had asked a guard earlier to take her luggage to her room before she met with Rosa.

She headed for the stairs when she felt eyes on her. She could smell smoke, and she turned around to see Edge standing there. Rydia's muscles tensed and she bit her lip.

"Oh, hello, Edge," she said. Her tone of voice revealed her nervousness.

"Hey, how are you, Rydia?" he asked with a friendly voice. He approached her until he was close. "You seem a little anxious, is something wrong?"

"Uh... um..." Rydia opened her mouth again and again, but couldn't seem to get anything else out. _I hope he won't be angry,_ she thought, worried.

"Did you pick someone for the ball?" he asked; straight to the point. She put her hand over her chest. "I hope you made a decision because it's only two days away."

"Well... I..." she stammered. "Y-yes, I did." She pulled her voice together and continued, "I... asked Kain. I'm sorry, Edge." She hung her head and placed her hands together.

"Why are you sorry?" he asked, but Rydia could hear the subtle jealousy in his voice. "You picked someone. That's good."

"Yes," she said, raising her head to look at him. "You're not angry, are you?"

"Of course not!" Edge laughed. "I would never be angry at you for anything, Rydia." There was a pause. "Anyway, I have to go back to Eblan."

"What for?" she asked, blinking.

Edge chuckled—an uneasy chuckle. "I've got to find a lady to take to the ball." He sighed, sounding disappointment. "Well, I hope you enjoy yourself. See you later."

Rydia opened her mouth to say something, but the ninja vanished in a puff of smoke before she could get it out. _I'm... so sorry, Edge._

-S-

The next day—the day of the ball—Rydia was walking beside Kain to the Dragoon Platform and conversing with him about dragoons themselves. The previous night had pervaded her thoughts, and she wanted sweep the guilt away.

_Kain's been very kind to me, perhaps he can cheer me up,_ she thought to herself. That's why she had decided to spend a little more time with the dragoon. Realizing that she was lost in her thoughts and not listening to him, she turned her head toward him.

"... so, a novice dragoon must use all the strength in his legs to launch himself in air," Kain was explaining. "Expert and veteran dragoons can also use their lower body to assist their legs, creating a deadlier attack."

"Why is that?" Rydia asked. "Is it more difficult to use one's lower body to jump?"

"Yes, you are correct," Kain said to her. He was wearing his helmet this time. "Dragoons, veteran or not, will use most of the strength in their legs to jump. That's where the primary source of their power is. If a dragoon uses his lower body in conjunction with his legs, he performs a more powerful jump. It requires a lot of strength and stamina to start such a jump, thus novices are taught to use their legs first."

"So I'm guessing," she said. "If novices use their lower body along with their legs first, the jump will be too difficult to perform?"

"Again, you are right, Rydia," he said with a smile. "You are quite perceptive. I suppose if you had been trained as a warrior instead of a summoner, you would have trained as a dragoon quite quickly."

Rydia could tell the compliment was genuine, and she chuckled. "Doesn't that seem a little incredible?" she asked. "Only Troia seems to have female warriors. I've never heard of Baron training women into their warrior ranks."

"That is true," Kain said. "But Cecil wants to have both sexes in his military—warrior or mage—so that they feel equal."

"I see." She nodded. Rydia took a glance at the Dragoon Platform set between the two towers; she could already see some of the novice dragoons in the air right before landing. "But then again, Cecil wasn't King when I was a child," she added with a smirk. "I really believe a summoner's path was for me." They reached the eastern tower, which led to the entrance of the platform.

"I agree," he said to Rydia's surprise. "Your mother was one; therefore, it was only natural that you would become a summoner. Also, you already had talent when Cecil and I first met you," he added, opening the door for her.

"Thank you, Kain," she said. "Yes, I did. I nearly killed you two with Titan." She let out a small chuckle. They began to ascend the stairs when a lump formed in Rydia's throat. "Kain...?"

"What is it?" he asked with a frown. "You sound worried."

"I think Edge spotted us last night," she said, playing with her hands. "Because after we separated, he appeared near me and asked if I had chosen you or not. I told him that I had."

"You told him that you had asked me," he said slowly. "All right. How did he react?"

"He told me he would never be angry at me for anything, but..." Rydia bit her lip. "He sounded disappointed, and jealous. I feel... bad about that conversation."

She felt Kain pat her on the shoulder, and she looked over to see him smiling. "Did you not tell me to have confidence back in Mist?" he said. "Don't be sorry for yourself. You made a choice, and not you must live with it. While not all choices are right, you should have confidence in yourself."

Rydia smiled and nodded at him. "You're right. I shouldn't trapped myself with guilt. Thank you."

"You're quite welcome," Kain said.

They reached the top of the tower with the entrance to the Dragoon Platform before them. Again, he opened the door for her and they passed through into the training field.

While Rydia had seen it from a distance, she had never been on top of it before. The entire platform was made of hard, gray stone that felt solid under her feet. There was a high fence around the field to keep people from falling to their deaths (though, she didn't know what they would do if a dragoon jumped over the fence on accident), and there was a dragon-shaped emblem engraved in the middle of the platform.

"Wow," she said, gazing around the field. "I didn't know Cecil put so much effort into making this." She began to wander over the field, turning and peering at it. Then, Kain grabbed her and pulled her away. "What the!?" She heard the clash of metal against stone just right next to her. She turned her head and saw that a novice dragoon had landed where she had been standing.

"Ah! Lady Rydia!" He bit his lip and fumbled his spear. He picked it up in an awkward manner. "I apologize for almost striking you. I had already jumped when—"

"It's quite all right," Kain said, glancing at Rydia as he let go of her. She gave him an approving nod. "But, do be more careful; there is a way to redirect your landing spot while in the air."

Rydia blinked. "There is?" she asked.

"Indeed," he said with a nod. "However, it is an advanced technique."

"Not to be disrespectful, Master Kain, but," the novice said, biting his lip. "Why did you tell me about it if it is for advanced dragoons?"

Kain smiled. "So you will know what to expect later in your training."

"Oh! I see now," the novice said. "Thank you, Master."

"Good luck," the dragoon said with another nod. The novice left Rydia and Kain behind to return to his training. She had the urge to step back further to avoid being skewered by another spear. "Are you all right, Rydia?" he said.

She looked at him and smiled. "Yes, thank you for pulling me away like that." She backed away a few steps from the platform. "I'm sorry, I got lost while gazing at the platform."

"Do not worry," he said, gesturing with his hand. "I understand this is quite grand for a training ground. So, it was only natural that you would not be paying attention."

"Right," Rydia said. "Well, I appreciated the tour, Kain," she added with a gentle smile.

"I'm glad," he said. "I suppose you will be getting ready for the ball soon since it is this afternoon."

"Yes," she said. A smirk crossed her face. "You also better get ready, you wouldn't want to be late, would you?"

He chuckled. "Of course not."

"I'll see you later then," Rydia said. She waved at him and left through the eastern tower's door.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"It is nothing to worry about," Kain said, looking himself over in the mirror of his room. He had changed into his outfit for the ball, a blue vest with a white shirt underneath along with navy trousers. He was also wearing black leather boots that had been polished. Kain had also cut his blonde hair short, feeling that the long ponytail was unnecessary.

He sighed. "It is nothing to worry about," he repeated to himself. Why was he feeling nervous? There was a lump in his throat, and he was sweating very slightly. _It's just the warmth of these clothes,_ he thought in justification.

Kain looked himself over again, making sure his outfit was perfect. Or nearly perfect; that he might attract Rydia's attention. _But why? It's just a ball. She'll go back to Edge after all this._ Yet he knew that she had some feelings for himself.

Then there was a knock at the door. Kain turned around and went over and opened it. Cecil was standing there with a smile on his face.

"Cecil? I was expecting Rydia," Kain said.

The paladin chuckled. Kain could see that Cecil was in very fine robes—the robes of a king, and there were as white as his usual cape. A golden crown sat on his head, and Kain assumed that he had received it at the coronation. Strangely enough, he had not seen the paladin wearing it up until now.

"Waiting for your lady, are you?" Cecil asked. "I'm not sure where she is, but I'm sure you'll meet her at the airship platform." He nodded. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Kain said.

Cecil nodded approvingly. "Good." He beckoned to his friend. "Come, we need to leave very soon or we'll be late."

"Are we not using the airships?" Kain asked, blinking.

"We are," Cecil said with another nod. "But it's getting to be late afternoon—around the time the ball is about to start—and we wouldn't want to be late, would we? Even an airship takes its time, Kain."

"Indeed," he said with a nod. He still couldn't get the lump out of his throat, and it was beginning to bother him. "Well, let's be off then."

-S-

When Kain arrived at the airship platform, he found Rosa standing near the Enterprise in a shimmering white gown to match her husband's. He watched as Cecil walked over to her and gave her a loving embrace. They exchanged a kiss, and then removed from each other.

Rosa smiled at Kain. "You look very handsome tonight, Kain. I'm sure Rydia will be impressed," she said.

The lump in his throat felt like it was expanding. "I would hope so," he said.

Rosa giggled. "Come now, Kain, show some faith. You know she doesn't bite; she's one of the sweetest ladies we know." She walked over to him and patted his shoulder. "Everything will be fine. Relax."

Kain nodded and the lump in his heart contracted a little; he didn't feel quite so warm either. Then he heard a female voice that sounded like she was out of breath.

"I'm here!" Rydia's voice said. Kain turned around and his eyes widened.

The summoner was dressed in black and wearing an onyx hairpiece to go with the outfit. The make of her outfit was similar to her usual robe, yet Kain could see a few differences. The drapes were now part of the sleeves, and her neckline was a little lower, making a golden pendant visible. Her black dress was trimmed with gold and there were flowing, wind-like patterns on her outfit that were in gold.

Kain's jaw nearly dropped. "R-rydia?" he said when he managed to speak again. "I... uh..."

She blinked. "Is something wrong, Kain?" she asked, still catching her breath while staring at him.

"No," he said. "There's nothing wrong, I am... merely surprised at your attire. I didn't know you would choose black and gold."

She looked a little disappointed. "Does it look strange?"

"Oh no!" Kain said hastily. _Blast. That probably didn't make a good impression._ "I think you look gorgeous in those colors."

She smiled; it was a kind smile that made him relax. "Thank you, Kain," she said. She scratched her head. "I was a little worried it would look strange. Especially with my hair, and—"

"No no," Kain said, returning the smile. "Your hair is just dark enough to go with the dress. I think... you made a fine choice." He licked his lips; the lump was gone, but he still felt a little stunned.

"You're looking quite handsome yourself," Rydia said, placing her arms behind her back. "I noticed you cut your hair, Kain. What for?"

"I did not think the length of it was appropriate for the ball," he said. "Do you think it looks wrong?"

Rydia shook her head. "To be honest, I think you look better with shorter hair," she said. For a wild moment, Kain thought he saw her blush. "You should keep it that way."

He rubbed his chin and smiled. "Perhaps I will."

"All right, all right," Cecil said. "Enough flirting, you two."

"Wh-what?" Rydia looked abashed, and Kain shared her embarrassment. "I wasn't flirting—"

Rosa giggled. "Of course not."

"Rosa!" Rydia exclaimed.

"Come now," Cecil said with a calm voice. "Let's get on the Enterprise. Cid's already up there, and we need to leave." The paladin turned around and escorted his wife up the gangplank.

"Right," Kain said, following. _Was I really flirting? _He felt an arm wrap around his right. It was Rydia.

"You're supposed to escort me like Cecil is for Rosa to the ball, Kain," she whispered, grinning.

"My apologies," he said. "I'm not used to this." He led her to the gangplank.

Rydia raised a brow. "I thought you once courted Rosa," she said. "Did you never take her arm when going to events and dances?"

"How did you...?" Kain felt surprised.

"Rosa told me," she said with a smirk. They ascended the gangplank.

"Ah, I see." He paused, and then said to Rydia, "We were all still training at the time—Rosa, Cecil and I—we found little time for gatherings. I once took her to a dance, and I did take her arm, but that was many years ago."

"Oh," she said. "Well, that's okay."

When he reached the deck of the airship, Kain saw Cid turn around; his daughter was with him. "There ya all are! I thought you had been poisoned or something. Also, you goons better treat your ladies right during the ball."

Kain chuckled, yet he felt Rydia remove her arm. "Cid, I'm so sorry. I forgot to get a girl from Mist..."

"Aw, don't worry about it!" Cid waved his hand at her. "That's why my daughter's here. I'll be dancin' with her."

Rydia nodded. "All right, as long as you're not alone this evening," she said. Cid's daughter rolled her eyes and smirked, but said nothing.

"Here we go!" Cid announced.

The roar of the Enterprise's engines started up and after a minute, it rose into the sky. The airship tilted left as its pilot turned it toward Damcyan.

The wind rushed past Kain's face and he welcomed the cool breeze to calm his nerves. Even though Rydia's smile had relaxed him at the time, his anxious feelings had returned. _Where is she __anyway?_ He looked around.

Then he saw her at the right railing of the ship, leaning against it. She smiled when she caught his eye and beckoned him over with a finger. Kain straightened his collar and obliged.

"You look like you ran away," he said when he reached her.

"Oh no," she said with a giggle. "I just I like the middle of the airship. That's all. I do the same thing whenever I'm riding with Edge."

"Strange," Kain said. "I thought you would be near him."

"Oh, I go to him while he's flying the Falcon every once in awhile, I just don't want to distract him too much." She put her elbows on the rail and watched the ground below. "I heard you took the Red Wings to stop some rebels, Kain."

"I did," he said, standing next to her. "They were both Baron and Eblan rebels and they had stolen one of the Red Wings."

"Oh dear," Rydia said, sounding concerned. "That means they had ninjas on their side." She looked at him. "You didn't get hurt, did you?"

Kain smiled. "Only a little. But I suffered no major wounds. The rebels seemed inexperienced in combat, so the dragoons, soldiers and I were able to arrest them without too much resistance."

"Well, that's good," Rydia said with a nod. "I wonder why they were stealing one of the Red Wings?"

"I don't know," he replied. "Even more odd was that Cecil told me that they were last seen in Damcyan Desert, and when I arrived, they were flying in circles around Damcyan Castle."

"Oh no!" Rydia said, sounding worried. "They were after the Fire Crystal, weren't they?"

"That's what my troops and I first thought," Kain said. He frowned. "But when we captured them, we found out from Edward that no bombs were dropped and not a single arrow was fired at the castle."

The summoner looked dumbfounded. "How bizarre."

"Well, let's not worry ourselves with that incident," Kain said, putting his hand on Rydia's back. "We shouldn't let it ruin the evening for us."

She smiled at him. "Yes, you're right."

-S-

Rydia with her arm linked with Kain's, ascended the stairs into the main hall of Damcyan, which was the top floor. Rydia had memories of when she first came here as a child. The castle had been nearly destroyed, and Edward had been in agony over the death of his beloved (and Tellah's daughter) Anna.

The room had been walls and rubble, but now what Rydia saw dazzled her eyes. Fine carpets of red, brimming with gold intersected each other at the center. Flags of matching color with the Damcyan symbol were spread over the clean and almost shining walls. There were torches, but they were not lit, instead the whole room was alight from the Fire Crystal on its pedestal near the back of the room.

There was a enticing smell of a fine spice from somewhere; Rydia located it and saw a single candle burning near the Fire Crystal.

_It's so beautiful here, _Rydia thought as she gazed around. _It's the perfect place for a ball._ Not to mention how many people were there; so many faces that she did not recognize.

There was one she did recognize, though, a very sour looking one.

"Oh, hello, Edge!" Rydia smiled and waved at him.

Edge nodded. "Good to see you, Rydia." He was trying to hide it, but she could hear tiny bits of jealousy in his voice. He was dressed in a fine, royal outfit of violet and silver along with a flowing cape at his back. At his side, and linked with his arm was a lady of Eblan (at least Rydia assumed) who seemed to looking at Edge with anxiety and eagerness.

This was not the first time Rydia had seen him without his mask, and seeing the sour expression on his face made her feel a sting of guilt.

"Edge... I..."

He waved it away. "Forget it. Remember what I said, eh? Just have fun."

"A pleasure to see you, Edge," Kain said turning himself around Rydia. He bowed.

"Yes, it's good to see you, too," Edge said. He didn't bother to bow back.

_What? That was rude,_ Rydia thought with a frown. _Edge isn't like that... at least not to his friends._

She opened her mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. Was it fear or shame that restrained her from speaking to him?

"Rydia?" Kain's voice said.

She looked at him. "Ah, sorry," she said. "I was... lost in thought." Blinking, Rydia looked up and saw Yang, the king of Fabul, and one of her good friends. "Hey, Kain, there's Yang and his wife. Let's go see them."

"Certainly," he said. He guided her over to where the couple stood.

Rydia took one last look at Edge, and then allowed Kain to lead her. She noticed that Yang spotted her, and upon her approach with her partner the monk bowed.

"Ah, Rydia, Kain, it is good to see you both," he said. He looked up. Yang was wearing his traditional monk attire, except that it was royal blue in color this time. "I'm surprised, Rydia. I thought you would bring Edge to this ball."

Rydia felt herself blush. "Well," she said, licking her lips. "I wanted to go with someone different this time. I'm around Edge quite a bit."

She saw Kain nod, and she felt a little anxious. She didn't want to tell others (besides Rosa) that she had some feelings for Kain. At least not yet. She hoped that he would not say anything about the subject.

As if he read her mind, the dragoon complied. "Indeed. You are looking well these days, Yang. You and your wife."

"Thank you, my friend," he replied. "You are also looking well. I have not yet heard about your travels away from Baron and how you returned."

"Really?" Kain sounded surprised. "Rydia found me on the mountainside of Mist and then... well, she dragged me to Baron you might say."

Yang's wife laughed. "Oh, Rydia, you sneaky girl! Trying to find a different man are we?"

Rydia was sure her face was redder. "No, no," she said quickly. "Cecil and the others missed him so much that I wanted him to return to Baron. They did, too. Really, I didn't drag him there, I convinced him."

Kain chuckled. "It's true. I was being stubborn at first, but she convinced me to return. I was still reluctant, but when I realized Cecil and the others had forgiven me, I relaxed and have settled at Baron. I'm currently Captain of the Red Wings."

"A fine position," Yang said with a smile. "But where did you go for those two years?"

"All over the world," Kain responded with a thoughtful voice. "My training started at Mount Ordeals, but the Light that had given Cecil his power had nothing for me. So, I traveled. I avoided civilization where I could, training and tempering myself against monsters and other challenges. Except... I did not find them to be challenges at all. After two years of frustration, I wound up near Rydia's town and I've been here ever since."

"I think it's a coincidence you two met," Yang's wife continued to tease. "After all—"

"Please!" Rydia interjected. She felt Kain jump slightly. "I get pestered enough at Mist as it is to get married."

"Oh, I'm sorry, m'dear. I didn't mean to offend you."

"It's all right," Rydia said with smile. "I'm not angry."

Yang raised a curious brow. "Why is it that they want you to marry at such a young age?" he asked.

She sighed and nodded. "Well, the traditions in Mist are that young ladies ought to marry when they are around nineteen or so. A lot of people—especially women—think I'm starting to reach my prime and are worried I won't marry in time. I really don't want to marry yet."

"I understand," Yang said. "It must be hard on you as a school teacher as well."

"It is," she said. "Since I'm very good with children, I give the impression that I would be the perfect mother." _Though, I do love my students... my children._ "Anyway, how have you been?"

"Busy as usual," Yang said, furrowing his mustache. "Running a kingdom isn't easy. Of course, Cecil could give you a lecture on that."

Rydia and Kain both laughed.

"He does have his hands full," Kain said with a smile. "I can't imagine how he does it all."

"Cecil's a natural leader," Rydia said, grinning. "It was like he was born to be one. I think that's how he can handle Baron without going insane."

The group laughed. "I believe you are correct, Rydia," Yang said with a grin.

"Well, you two enjoy yourselves this evening!" Yang's wife said.

"We will," Kain said. After exchanging waves with the couple, Rydia, this time, directed Kain around the ballroom. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm looking for Edward," she said, looking at Kain with a smile. "I wanted to talk to him."

"Well, you can talk to me instead!" said a boastful voice next to her.

Rydia looked over and then down. Palom's cocky face was staring right at her. _Oh goodness..._ She thought with a groan.

"You still haven't taken me up on our magic duel yet, Rydia!" he said. "What? Are you scared?" A fist slammed into his head. "Ow! Sis! What was that for?"

Rydia shifted her eyes to see Porom with a frown on her face, looking at her twin brother. "Will you _ever_ learn to show respect for Miss Rydia?"

"I think it'll be awhile before he learns such," Kain remarked. Rydia giggled.

"Oh! Mister Highwind," Porom said, looking at him with a gentle smile. "I heard rumors that you came back, but I wasn't sure."

"Please, you can call me 'Kain,'" he said with a raised hand. "But yes, I have returned."

"Indeed. In good time, too," said an older voice next to Porom. Rydia looked to the girl's right and saw the Mysidian Elder standing there with his thick brown beard. "It's good to see that you survived Mount Ordeals, Kain."

"It was not a very difficult journey to be honest," he said with a disappointed sigh.

"True, you have been well-tempered on the Moon," the Elder said. "I actually didn't think the mountain would much a challenge for you."

"What brings you and the twins to the ball, Elder?" Rydia asked with a curious voice.

"To celebrate Edward's victory, of course," he said. "We may not have dance partners, but Edward invited us all the same."

Palom snorted. "Well, _he_ suggested my dance partner would be Porom. _Boring._" For that, he was punched in the head again by his sister. "Ow! Will you stop that!"

Porom apparently ignored him because Rydia noticed that the girl's eyes were drawn toward the entrance. "Look, Elder!" she said. "It's the dwarf king and his daughter!"

Rydia followed Porom's finger and saw that King Giott in his violet robe and Luca in her scarlet gown had arrived. "Wow," Rydia said. "So Edward even went to the Underworld to announce his success."

"Indeed," Kain said. She felt his eyes on her and she turned to face the dragoon; he was smiling at her, and Rydia felt her face grow warm.

"Wait! You mean King Giott?" Palom exclaimed, looking up with an eager face. "That means Luca's with him!"

"That's... what I said," Porom responded, rolling her eyes. Palom almost jumped to Luca when his sister grabbed his cape. "I don't think so, brother."

"Aw, come on!" he complained. "I want a _real _dance partner. Not—" _Pow!_ "Agh! Not again!"

Rydia, Kain, and the Elder all chuckled. _Amusing children as ever,_ she thought. She turned to face the Elder. "Well, I hope you have fun," she said. "It should be a wonderful evening."

He smiled. "Of course we will. I hope you and Kain enjoy yourselves as well."

"We will, I'm sure of it," Kain said. "Thank you."

The Elder and the twins separated from them (Palom still cradling his head). Rydia wanted to go see King Giott, but at that very moment she heard Edward's voice from the front.

"Attention! Attention, everyone!"

Rydia and Kain looked over. She saw that Edward had his harp in hand and a lovely lady at his side while standing in front of the Fire Crystal. He stroked his harp strings and then the talking died down, all eyes on the prince.

"Thank you, thank you, everyone, for attending this evening," he said with a loud voice. "I hope the lighting is appropriate, and that the new castle is a beautiful sight to you all." There was a cheer and applause, to which Rydia and Kain joined in. "There are also refreshments on the long table to the side here if you feel a bit peckish after dancing," he added. "Speaking of which, let us begin!"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The bards started playing their instruments and the music and dancing began. Rydia was a little nervous, and was a little surprised when Kain took her hand. "Huh?"

"We're going to dance, are we not?" he said.

"Ah yes, of course," she said, feeling embarrassed. She put her hand on his shoulder, and she allowed him to lead.

"Wow..." she said after a minute of dancing with Kain. "I didn't know you could dance so well."

"Were you expecting me to step on your toes?" he asked with a grin.

Rydia knew she had blushed. "No," she said, looking down for a moment. "I thought you said you had only been to one dance in your life. And that was with Rosa years ago."

"So, you expected little skill from me?"

"Well... a little," she said, glancing to the side. "I guess you haven't forgotten," she added with a bashful smile.

Kain nodded, and continued to lead her. He raised her arm up and spun her not too quickly, yet not too slowly, and then brought her back to him.

Rydia found herself smiling with joy. _I didn't know he could do this... and I've never danced with anyone but Edge, _she thought. She became caught up in the dance so much that the world around her seemed to vanish. It was only Kain and herself, as bizarre as that seemed.

At least, that's how she felt until she bumped into another couple. "Ah!" She turned her head and found her looking at Edge and his dance partner; and he was still looking quite sour. He was glaring at Kain, however. Rydia bit her lip. "S-sorry, Edge."

"It's not a problem, Rydia," he said calmly, and then continued dancing with the eblanese woman.

_Edge..._

"What's bothering you?" Kain asked, concerned. Rydia turned her face toward him and gave a lopsided smile.

"Just Edge..." she said. "I can tell he's jealous."

"I see," he said. She allowed him to twirl her again. "Are you afraid?"

"A little, but not for myself this time," she said, gazing at him. "Edge... can get very angry sometimes."

He smiled. "I wouldn't worry, if I had to, I would defend myself—"

"And hurt him?" Rydia almost exclaimed.

Kain looked taken aback. Blinking, he sighed with regret and said, "I wouldn't _try_ to hurt him. Well... I'm sorry. I was being inconsiderate to your feelings."

"It's... all right," Rydia said, looking away for a moment. _I wish I hadn't almost yelled at him like that._

"Besides, Edge can be reasoned with, correct?" Kain asked. She looked back at him and nodded with a weak smile. "He's also not the type to attack friends in a spat of anger. At least, as far as I remember."

"Yes, that's true," Rydia responded, frowning. "Even if he is upset. I'm sorry I brought that up. I realize you were just concerned about me. Thank you."

"Don't be sorry," he said. "Just enjoy yourself." He smiled, and Rydia's smile returned; stronger this time. They continued to dance and she forgot about her troubles with Edge as she enjoyed her time with Kain.

After a few more minutes, the bards slowed the pace of the music. The dancers followed as did Rydia and Kain. The soft, gentle music began to make Rydia think. _He's been very kind to me, and he's learned to listen to me, too. I need to ask him something._

"Kain?" she asked gently. "What made you decide to be a dragoon?"

He blinked, as if not expecting the question. "Well, my father was one; also a Commander," he said. "I felt like it was my path as much as it had been his."

"Was there... anything specific that triggered your desire?"

"No," he said. "Well... I think Rosa was a reason I wanted to be a knight." He nodded. "Yes, I think that was a trigger."

"So you could protect her?" Rydia asked.

"Yes," Kain responded. "I wanted to protect her, and Baron."

A smile spread on her face. "That's very noble of you, Kain," she said. Her hands and face felt warm, and she began to wonder if she was sweating. She wanted to ask him something else, like if he would protect her, but she couldn't manage to ask the question.

"What made you want to be a summoner, Rydia?" Kain said, breaking her train of thought.

_Thank you..._ She felt like she could speak again. "Because my mother was one," she explained. "I guess... I was in the same boat as you. Except I was not looking to protect anyone. I merely admired my mother more than anyone else. She was kind, gentle, peaceful, and always happy. I loved her."

"It appears you carry many of her traits," he said. She felt herself blush again and for a moment, she also thought he was blushing. Kain cleared his throat after a moment. "So, it was admiration that 'triggered' your desire to be a summoner?"

"Yes, I believe so," she said with a nod. "I wanted to be like my mother. It was in my blood to be a summoner." She chuckled. "Actually, it was literally in my blood."

Kain grinned. "Of course," he said in agreement. "I told Cecil something similar once; that I would lead the dragoons. It was in my blood, as it was in my father's."

"Really?" Rydia smiled. "I never knew that. How is your father?"

Kain's smile faded. "Dead. He died when I was child, much like Cecil's. Though, I was older," he said.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said. She felt own smile waning. "Did I bring up a painful subject?"

"Oh... no, you did not," he said.

Rydia sighed with relief. "Oh, I'm glad. If you don't mind me asking," she said. "What happened to your father? I mean, how did he die?"

"With honor," Kain said softly with a face filled with pride. "He died in combat, protecting Baron and its people. Much like your mother died protecting her people."

Rydia's face felt warmer. "Yes, she did." She paused. "We seem to have a little in common," she noted. "More than I expected."

"It does appear that way," he said, nodding twice. "That surprises you, Rydia?"

She blinked. What should she say? "I... I suppose so," she said after a moment. "I didn't know." A smile spread over her face. "It's always nice to have something in common."

Kain nodded again, and they continued to dance. There was silence between them for a moment, and then he asked, "What else would you like to talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know," Rydia said with a gentle laugh. "I'm just really enjoying myself this evening. I think I picked the right partner." _Oh! Did I really just say that?_

"Really?" Kain asked. "Thank you," he said after a moment. "You made a good choice, and I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

Rydia's smile just could not fade; not that she wanted it to. There was a small feeling of happiness in her heart. _The same feeling I had for Edge when we first... went out._

Then the music came to a slow stop, and after a moment, Kain released Rydia. She began to feel slightly disappointed because she wanted to dance a little more. However, he beckoned to her to the refreshments table, and that brought her smile back.

-S-

_Dammit! Calm down, Edge._

He took in a deep breath. While he had danced with his partner well enough, she had taken leave of him a little early apparently because she noticed that he was so focused on Rydia and Kain.

_She wouldn't take her eyes off him for a moment!_ he thought, wanting to punch the wall. _Well, she looked away once actually._

He inhaled again. Ironically, what made him even angrier was that Rydia almost seemed ashamed of her choice. At least, at first. _She doesn't need to be wishy-washy. She needs to just stick with it._

Edge put his back to the wall. _It was just a dance, it was just a dance. They're not..._ He clenched his hand and almost slammed it into the stone wall, but stopped himself. He folded his arms, and groaned. _Well, it's not like I'm going to lose her. ... I hope._

His thoughts were jarred as he overheard Kain and Rydia talking.

"... so that grooved, brass ring on your finger is...?" he was asking.

"Ah, it's a ring my mother gave me," Rydia said. She was practically beaming at him. "I have a tradition in my family." Edge knew all about that; she had told him about the specialty of that ring.

"The tradition is," she continued. "That the woman gives this ring to the man she wants to marry, and then it becomes his wedding ring. And later, if there's a daughter, that ring is passed down to her."

Edge nodded as he listened to the conversation, and then Kain asked the exact question that he had.

"What if there are multiple daughters, though?"

Rydia giggled. "Another ring can always be made," she said.

"I see," Kain said. "What about the father, though? When does he hand down the ring to his daughter?"

"Simple: when she becomes of age," she explained. "and a different wedding ring is made for him so that the tradition can continue. As far as I know it's a tradition that's gone through generations of my family."

"Generations?" Kain asked. He sounded surprised. "That's quite a tradition."

"Mmm-hmm." Rydia nodded, sounding pleased. "Kain, would you excuse me?"

"Of course."

Edge shook his head. _At least she's happy. That's good enough._ He stood there with his back to the wall quietly for several moments, thinking about the situation.

"Edge?" Rydia's voice said next to him. He nearly jumped. Looking over, he saw that she had approached him, Kain was still at the refreshments table. Edge couldn't help but stare at the attractive black and gold outfit she was wearing.

"Rydia?" he straightened his hair and smiled. "What's up?"

"Where's your dance partner?"

"She left."

"What?" she said in utter shock. "Aw, I'm sorry. Do you want to dance with me?"

_Rydia... you really are something else._ "Nah, you're Kain's tonight," he said dismissively.

"But you shouldn't be left out! I'm sure one dance won't hurt," she responded with her usual kind smile. The type that almost poked a man where he felt it most.

"I think Kain would get upset," Edge said. _Why the hell am I resisting? She's asking me to dance._

She put her hand to her mouth and giggled. "I'll go ask him and see," she said. "Wait here." She turned around and walked back to her partner. Edge couldn't help but notice the way the Fire Crystal's glow seemed to make Rydia look like a dark and fiery goddess.

_Geez, Rydia, you just had to pick the perfect dance outfit, _he thought to himself, amused.

After a moment, she returned to Edge and said, "Kain's fine with it. He's feeling bad that your partner left, too."

_Okay... I am definitely dreaming now._ "You're serious?"

"Yes..." Rydia raised a brow. "I'm not lying. Come on, next song, we dance."

Edge grinned and took her in his arms. "Absolutely!" He heard Rydia laugh, and he let go of her. "All right then. When the bards start the next song, I'll be dancing with you."

Rydia cocked her head and smiled. "Good."

Soon, the next song began and Edge took Rydia's hand, leading her onto the dance floor. He took a glance at Kain, and wondered if he was as jealous as Edge had been.

"Edge?"

"Eh?" he looked at Rydia as the song started—a slow tune.

"Are you all right?" She had a concerned smile on her face. Another one of her smiles that made Edge feel cared for.

"Yes, I am," he said. "How are you doing, Rydia? Besides the ball."

She giggled. "I'm fine, Edge," she said. "My lessons have been taking up a lot of my time, so it feels nice to get a break."

"I know what you mean," he said, grinning. "Running a kingdom isn't all fun and games either. Especially when I have the Chancellor breathing down my neck every second."

"Yes, I know," she said. "He's _always_ breathing down your neck." Rydia rolled her eyes.

_She's not mentioning Kain. Huh. Well, that's good._ He continued to dance with the summoner until the song was over, and even when she returned to Kain, Edge's jealousy had been swept away.

-S-

"Ahh! What a night!" Cid remarked while Cecil, Rosa, Rydia, and Kain boarded the Enterprise behind him and his daughter. "I think I ate too much," he added, rubbing his belly.

"You _always_ eat too much, father," his daughter reminded him. Rosa and the others laughed.

"Yeah, yeah." Cid waved it away. "Let's go back to Baron."

The Enterprise's engines began to roar and the airship was carried into the night sky. There was a lonely crescent moon that seemingly missed its companion.

Rosa noticed that Rydia had taken to the back of the airship again. This time, Kain did not join her. Instead, he was conversing with Cecil most likely about the ball. Rosa slid over to the summoner.

"How was your evening with Kain?" she asked, leaning on the railing next to Rydia.

"Wonderful! I couldn't have asked for a better night," she said happily. "I'm just a little sad it's over now."

"There will be more opportunities in the future," Rosa said, putting her hand on Rydia's shoulder.

She looked at Rosa. "What do you mean?" she asked with a curious voice.

Rosa smiled. "I think Kain had a similar experience. I would expect to see him court you more later," she explained, cocking her head to the left.

"Well, Edge isn't going to be happy about that," Rydia said with a frown. "When I was dancing with him, I got the impression from our conversation that he hoped Kain would back off after the ball."

Rosa sighed. "You're still worried about Edge and Kain butting heads over you, aren't you?" she said.

"Yes," Rydia breathed a concerned sigh. "I don't want them hurting each other over me."

"Yet, they both seem to be interested in you," Rosa pointed out. "One is already in love, and the other is seeing if he can go further with you. You can't force them to change their feelings, Rydia."

"Of course not!" she said, looking at Rosa with slight offense. "I don't want to deny Edge, but I can't deny Kain either. If I denied either of them the opportunity, I'd deny myself." She sighed and looked up into the sky. "I guess what I really want is everyone to stay friends."

"You're not alone," Rosa said, her voice gentle. "Everyone wants to remain as friends in their hearts. The last thing all of us wants is a vicious rivalry between Edge and Kain."

"Yet, it's probably going to happen."

"Well, a rivalry _will_ happen, that's for certain," Rosa said. "But how it will escalate is a different matter. When it was between Cecil and Kain, they always made up, and their fights were never over me, except one. The fights were, generally, for combat training. Both wanted to beat the other, but neither of them came up on top. In the end, they always stuck together as friends." she smiled at the summoner. "That's why Cecil and Kain see each other as best friends because they were friendly rivals as well."

Rydia smiled. "I hope that's the way it'll be with Kain and Edge," she said.

"I'm sure it will."

"Hey, Rydia!" Cid called from the helm. "Do ya need to be dropped off at Mist fer your class in two days?"

Rosa looked at Rydia and saw the summoner smile more widely. "No, I don't. Not yet anyway, Cid," she said with a loud voice so the fleetmaster could hear. "Thank you, though."

"'Not yet?'"

She giggled. "Yes, not yet," she said. "I might need one tomorrow so I can be on time, and prepare my lesson for the children."

"A'right," Cid said.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

_The following day..._

Kain was in his full armor; Holy Lance in hand, and his Wyvern Lance strapped to his back, watched the sun just barely creeping over the horizon, while standing on the battlements of Baron Castle. His mind was lost in thought about Rydia and the night before.

_"Kain, would you mind if I danced with Edge once?"_

_ "Why? Doesn't he have a partner?"_

_ "No, she left. I don't he should be left out."_

_ "I agree. Go ahead, Rydia."_

_ "Thank you."_

A smile spread over his face. _Rydia, you are unfathomable, _he thought._ I've never met a woman who is so willing to reach out to everyone._ Yes, he had felt a little jealous watching her dance with Edge, yet that emotion had been shadowed by a feeling of awe.

"You're up early," a female voice said behind him.

He turned around. "Rydia?"

The summoner giggled. She was wearing her normal green outfit, the one Kain enjoyed seeing her in. "What? Did I catch you off-guard? Your face says so," she said.

Kain chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Perhaps," he said. "What brings you here this morning?"

Rydia walked over and stood by Kain, leaning against the ledge. "I just wanted to see the sun rise, probably like you," she said, glancing at him with a smile. "Also... I wanted to up early to arrive at

Mist on time."

"I see," Kain said. "When are you leaving?"

"Well, I'm leaving in an hour or so," she said quietly. She looked at him. "You know, I want to get there on time for my lesson," she added with a pleasant expression.

"Of course," he replied. "Your students will be eager to see you again."

She smirked. "They're always eager to see me again," she said, exhaling. "I'm not really sure what it is about me that they love so much. But, they enjoy seeing me and learning from me."

"And is that not all that is important to a teacher?" Kain asked, turning to her.

She chuckled lightly. "Yes, I think you're right," Rydia said.

"Kain!" said Cecil's voice from behind him. He spun around to see the paladin approaching him. "Good, good. There you are, and there you are, Rydia. I heard you're leaving for Mist today."

"Yes, I am," She said with a curious voice. She moved around Kain and approached Cecil. "You sound worried. What's wrong?"

Cecil's expression was indeed serious. "I overheard something from the rebels talking in the dungeons; something about you and your town, Rydia." She and Kain exchanged looks and then stared at the paladin. "I tried to get them to talk, but they were too stubborn. Not a word."

"Oh no..." Rydia put her hand to her mouth.

"This is ill news," Kain said, glancing at her and then back to the paladin. "Do you think they are plotting to escape, Cecil?"

"It's possible," he said. "But why they would be after Rydia and Mist is beyond me." Cecil worked his jaw. "Their past behavior has already baffled Edge, Edward, and I; and now this?"

"It's possible that it's part of a larger plot," Kain noted.

"You're probably right, my friend."

"What? Do they want to murder me?" Rydia asked, a worried expression on her face.

"That would be difficult to do unless they were good enough to catch you off-guard," Cecil said with a grin. "You are the most powerful summoner and black mage on earth—as far as we know." He looked at Kain, his expression turning serious. "I'm giving you an assignment. Go with Rydia to Mist and guard her. Also, be sure to investigate for anything suspicious in town."

He nodded. "Very well, I will make sure Rydia is safe and keep my eye on the town."

"Good, good," Cecil said with a nod. "Cid is waiting for you two at the airship platform. Kain, send reports by messengers." The paladin placed his fist on his chest. "Good luck and safe travels to the both of you."

-S-

The cool air swept by Rydia's skin, soothing her worries. Again, she was near the back-end of the ship, letting her hands dangle over the ledge. She smiled, her muscles relaxed and a smile on her face.

"You seem rather composed," Kain's voice said from her right.

Rydia glanced over to see the dragoon and she nodded at him. "I was just surprised when Cecil told us that someone seems to be after me. I was a little worried, but being on an airship just, well, you know..."

"Whisks away your fears?" Kain said. He walked up to her and turned to face the sky.

"Yes," she said with a sigh. "Sometimes, I wish I had my own airship... I wonder if that would solve the problem."

He turned his head to her. "Problem? What problem?"

"The problem Edge and I have with a possible marriage," Rydia said, feeling uncomfortable. _Why did I tell him about that?_ she wondered. "If I were to become Queen of Eblan," she continued, "then how would I run my school in Mist?"

"Yes, the distance would be too great for both," Kain remarked. "Does Edge know about your concerns?" the dragoon asked, continuing to gaze at Rydia.

She turned her head to him. "Yes, he does. He loves me so much that he spends countless hours trying to figure out a way to let me run my school and the kingdom at the same time," she explained. Her muscles began to relax when she heard no jealousy in his voice.

Kain blinked, probably surprised. "He really loves you," he said softly, looking back at the clouds. "Even with an airship, however, it seems impossible," he added, raising his voice a little. "You would have to choose one passion over the other."

"Passion?" Rydia allowed herself to laugh. "To be honest, I don't want to be a queen. It just doesn't feel like something I would become."

"Does Edge know that?"

"... no," she said slowly. "No, he doesn't."

"Hmm..." Kain rubbed his chin. "Why did you not tell him?"

Rydia sighed, yet she was smiling. "I merely do not want to shatter his dream. Ever since we defeated Zeromus, he pursued me. He never said it, but I could tell he saw me as the perfect woman for him." She chuckled. "Despite the fact that he's much older than me."

"Indeed, you are young," Kain noted. He paused. "So, he believed you were ideal for him?"

"Yes," Rydia said with a nod. "It annoyed me at first because of overbearing he was, but then he began to mature and learned how to... well, 'treat a lady,' so to speak. He's still arrogant, but not as much as before."

"Indeed, I remember when we first met him," the dragoon said. "He was so arrogant. Telling us to leave him alone to fight Rubicante."

She nodded and then shook her head. "I remember; I convinced him to stop. You remember me crying, right?" She snorted gently. "I didn't even know him, but I didn't want another innocent person to die. No matter how arrogant he was."

Kain didn't say anything for a minute. _I wonder what is he thinking?_

Then he spoke. "Rydia, I've never met a woman as kind as you," he said. Her face became warm again. "Even Rosa," he continued, "never had such a gentle personalty like yours. I admire that. I suppose I didn't realize when you cried that you cared even for someone you didn't know."

She smiled. "Thank you, Kain. That's very kind of you to say about me."

"I, myself, have an arrogant streak," he continued. "I was once over-confident in my abilities, and believed that I was better than Cecil." He frowned. "Especially during the times I was controlled by Zemus."

"I haven't noticed any arrogance from you lately," Rydia said, her voice curious.

Kain half-grinned. "You have yet to see it," he said.

"Well, don't let it clash with Edge's ego," she said with a long sigh. "The last thing I want is you two to fight over me. Err... that is...!" she stammered. "I mean..."

"... you have feelings for me, correct?"

"Yes, Kain," Rydia said after a long pause. Her face was growing warmer and she swallowed. "Yes, I do... What about you?" she asked.

Kain also paused. It seemed to be a thoughtful pause because he staring out to the clouds with a peaceful countenance. Then, he said, "yes, I have feelings for you, too."

Rydia's jaw dropped. "I... uh... see," she said. There was a moment of silence and then she realized something. "Oh no! Does Cecil know about this?"

He looked at her, curious, and said, "yes, he does. Why do you ask?"

"Because Rosa knows about mine," she explained. She groaned, and put her hand on her face; smiling. "I hope they aren't trying to play match-maker."

"I do not believe so," Kain said softly, patting her on shoulder. She looked back up at him to see that the dragoon was looking at her again. "That type of behavior is not becoming of Cecil or Rosa." He lowered his voice and added, "Cid would most likely be the one to do that."

Rydia nodded with an amused giggle. "Oh goodness, that would be very much like Cid." She sighed; her face cooling down. "Well, let's hope not. I don't... I mean, I not trying to offend you, Kain. But... I don't want to be pushed into a relationship."

The dragoon nodded at her. "Yes, most women do not; especially in your case."

She smiled at him again. "Thank you, Kain. I'm grateful that you understand how I feel."

"Hey, lovebirds!" Cid called from the helm. Rydia's face felt warm and she thought she saw Kain's face also turn pink. Her head shot toward Cid. "We're here! We've been here for a few minutes, too."

She hadn't realized it, but the Enterprise had landed in the outskirts of Mist (which Rydia was grateful for). _Had we been talking for that long?_ She cleared her throat. "Yes, we're ready. But... we're not 'lovebirds,' Cid."

"Indeed!" Kain said.

Cid laughed. "You two will never get over my jokes, will ya?" He grinned his typical grin. "Keep safe you two, a'right? Don't get hurt, Rydia, and Kain, you treat her well like I treat my babies."

"I will," the dragoon responded. He started to walk down the gangplank. "She shall be safe," he added, calling back to Cid.

Rydia walked over to the gangplank and strode down its wooden frame. "Of course I will," she said cheerfully. "You take care of yourself, too, Cid," she said, looking back at the fleetmaster.

"Don't worry, I always do," he said with a laugh. "I'll come to pick up Kain when Cecil needs him, a'right?" Rydia nodded, and she watched as the Enterprise rose into the air and shot off toward Baron.

-S-

It was a short walk, and Kain and Rydia arrived at Mist's western entrance soon enough. The guards nodded to them as they passed through. Kain was grateful that the guards had recognized him. He was walking side-by-side with the summoner and immediately started gazing all over the town.

_Nothing seems wrong,_ he thought, using his Holy Lance like a cane (though, he didn't need to). _No sign of trouble is good for now. I'm not entirely sure what to look for, though... the rebels? Assassins? I suppose I can write Cecil an epistle to understand this mission more._

"Kain?" Rydia's voice asked next to him. He broke from his thoughts and looked at her. "Are you okay? You seem to be glaring at Mist."

"I am fine," he said. "I am merely watching for any sign of trouble as I was ordered to do."

She nodded at him and turned her attention to the town. They arrived at the town square and Kain could see that it was very busy, even though it was just past dawn. People were running around, probably getting ready for work of all types; however, some were lounging at the fountain in the middle.

Kain recognized the woman Elena at the fountain; he glanced at Rydia and saw a look of discomfort on her face. "Let's go this way," the summoner said, pointing north. "It's a faster way to my home and we can avoid Elena—as much as I like her," she added.

"Yes, if she's heard of the ball... then she will be bothering you for all the details."

"Uh-huh." Rydia led Kain up an unfamiliar path—a backway around the houses—and after several minutes, they arrived at her home and school. Kain could not see any of her students there.

"Hmm..." He looked at the summoner. "Rydia, when does your school start?"

"Well..." She paused and looked up at her house. There was above the bell that Kain had not seen the last time he was here. "Let's see, it's seven now, so it'll be about an hour. I better hurry and get my lesson done," she added with a smile at him.

"Very well," he said. "I will stay outside and keep a patrol around your home."

"All right," Rydia said, nodding at him. Kain watched as she turned around and entered her home. He heard a click from the door.

_Well, I better begin my own task._ Kain peered around the school house and started to circle it. He was not going to let any harm befall Rydia.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Miss Rydia?"

Rydia paused her lecture as Mark had raised his hand. "Yes, Mark?" she asked with a smile.

"Is the dragoon here?" He lowered his hand, and his eyes were filled with curiosity. "I thought I saw him walking around the school."

After blinking, Rydia inhaled. "Yes, he is," she said. _What do I say to them? No. They can't know I'm possibly in danger._ She knew if the whole town found out, it would cause an uproar. "He's just visiting again," she explained.

"Oh," Mark said. He beamed and clasped his hands together. "Will he tell us more about your adventures?"

She giggled softly. "Maybe after class, but right now we need to continue the lesson, all right?" Rydia said.

"Okay," he said with a slightly disappointed voice, but he did not look away from Rydia. He stroked the grass he sat upon; possibly waiting for his teacher to continue.

Rydia sighed with relief. She felt like she had just dodged an arrow. "All right, let's continue," she said after a moment. "What is the Summoner's Code? Do you remember?"

"Um..." the class muttered, sounded baffled. But Rydia waited; she knew someone understood the Code. After another moment, she pointed to a girl named Janett.

Calling her by name, Rydia asked, "I'm sure you know. Tell the whole class what you know about the Summoner's Code."

"Um... well," she paused. "I think it has to do with 'honor,' but we talked about that awhile ago, Miss Rydia," Janett noted.

She nodded. "Yes, I did. I want to see if you can recall what I've taught you," she explained, waving a finger. "Now, you're right. There is honor involved with the Summoner's Code, but why?"

Janett put a finger to her chin and winced. "I think... I think..." she said. Then, Rydia could almost see the torchlight flash above her student's head. "Oh, I know! You have to fight the eidolon to make sure you are... um... worthy...? to summon him or her."

"Very good!" Rydia smiled. "That's extremely close, you're missing a tiny part of that 'why,' but you've done well, Janett." Her pupil grinned at her with a slight pink color on her face. "Does anyone know the missing part?"

Silence.

Rydia pointed at another boy; his name was Matthew. "How about you, Matt?"

He jumped as if he was caught off-guard, but after half a second, he regained his composure and nodded. "What's left is why you fight the eidolon. I mean, Janett said part of it," he added, licking her lips. "But anyone can fight an eidolon, but!" he paused, putting his hand to his chin. "... uh.. oh yes. You're proving that you have to be brave and that you'll summon the eidolon for good reasons."

"That's correct, Matt!" Rydia said, clasping her hands together with pride. "Yes, that is the Summoner's Code. I had to pass it many times before I could learn to summon certain eidolons."

"What about Milina and her chocobo?" Janett asked. "It just came to her. Why didn't she have to fight it?"

"Very good observation, Janett," Rydia said with a kind smile. "As I said, only certain eidolons require the Code. Weaker ones like the chocobo don't. Why? That's because the first eidolon has wave the Code. Without other eidolons to assist the summoner, he or she would always lose the battle."

"Ooh..." the class chimed together.

"Now, does everyone understand the Code?" Rydia asked very gently, yet with a authority. "Speak up if you don't, and don't be afraid; it's all right if you don't understand the first time."

No one spoke, and she noticed that her students were staring behind her. She, too could feel eyes on her. Rydia reached down to her coiled whip and turned around slowly.

It was Kain. Rydia exhaled with relief and smiled at him. "Have you been watching?"

"Yes, I have," he said with a friendly smile; one that made her feel comfortable. "I didn't mean to bother, but I was merely curious."

She placed a hand over her smiling mouth. "It's all right, Kain," she said. Then she turned around back to her students. They were all grinning—as if they knew what was going on between Kain and Rydia.

She swallowed, and approached her pupils. Each eye had an eager glimmer in it, and each one told Rydia what they wanted to know. She sighed and smiled at them.

"I suppose you all want to know if I asked Kain to the ball or not, correct?" she asked with soft a giggle. Their reaction did not surprise her; they all nodded in unison as if it had been planned. "All right, I promise to tell you during recess. But, we have studying to do first."

Happy smiles passed over the childrens' faces as they cheered. It took Rydia some work to calm them down, but eventually, they silenced themselves.

"Okay," Rydia said. "Come inside, children. We're going to go over some history; especially some history of what we know about eidolons."

Some of the childrens' smiles faded and they groaned; others grinned happily. Rydia opened the door and allowed her students into the building. Closing the portal, she walked over to Kain. "You startled me," she said.

"I noticed," he said. "Your hand was on your whip." Kain nodded with a understanding expression. "It is all right. I'm glad you are on guard, Rydia; I will still protect you, but keep your own eyes peeled."

"Yes," she said with a half-smile. "I just don't want my students to know that someone may be out to kill me or do horrible things to me. They would... panic."

"Of course," Kain said. "You best go in so your pupils are not wondering where you have gone. I will continue to patrol the house."

"Thank you, Kain. I really appreciate it," she said. _I really do..._ And with that, she opened the door, taking one last glance at the dragoon before entering.

-S-

_This is not the time for day-dreaming, Kain. You're on a mission, not courting the summoner!_

Yet, even as Kain repeatedly reminded himself with harshness, he could not get over the fact that this felt like an opportunity to attract more of her attention. But why? She had Edge, and Kain had only gone to a ball with Rydia.

Then he remembered the time he told her students about Cecil's courage against Zeromus. _Because of that... we discovered the bloodline was not lost._ Kain could not imagine the joy she had felt when it happened.

He turned a corner around Rydia's schoolhouse. _I wonder how interested she is in me?_ He knew very well that large events did not create a solid foundation for a relationship; it had to be through small steps. Yet, he wondered, was it the story? Was it the summon that followed that forced Rydia's hand to ask Kain? He didn't know.

Kain felt eyes on him and he spun around to see a sulky man staring at him with folded arms.

"Who are you?" he said to Kain. The man was very well dressed; like a nobleman. He had a fine vest with a silver term and a suit coat of black. Kain had never seen such fancy apparel in a town before.

"My name is Kain Highwind," he said to the well-dressed man. "What is it that you want? You do not appear to be in a good mood."

"Hmph. I figured you were one of the King's bootlickers; 'best friends,' like Rydia," he said smugly. Kain scowled at him. "Heh. You don't like that, do you? Fine. My name is Juste. You might say I'm a man of fine class."

_No one with such a foul tongue could be of 'fine class.' _Kain licked his lips. "Why are you here?" he asked with a quiet voice.

"I could ask the same of you, Highwind," Juste responded with a glare. "Look, I live in this town. Don't I have the right to walk around my hometown?"

"Of course," Kain said. "I'm merely here on a mission for the King."

"To do what?" Juste snorted. A malicious glimmer in his blue eyes.

"That is confidential," Kain simply said. He felt anger rising in his chest and he gripped his lance more tightly. He almost wanted to rip out the man's dark brown hair.

Juste snorted again. "Hmph! I figured as much," he said. "Special treatment for that summoner, who thinks she can just run the town. Oh yes, I bet you're going to deny that, but did you know she gives the mayor advice? He doesn't ask people of class like myself for anything."

"I wonder why..." Kain said under his breath. His scowl had not faded, in fact it had grown. He raised his voice. "If you have something to say to her, why don't you say it?"

"I don't have to," Juste said. "Because I already have. She doesn't have to listen, though," he added casually.

"Then, why are you here near the back of her house?" Kain asked.

"To see who was walking around it," Juste said with another snort. "Curious, you know. But I'll leave you be, Highwind." Juste turned and walked toward the town square, arms still folded, and he didn't take a single glance back at Kain.

_He doesn't seem armed at all,_ Kain thought, examined the disappearing figure. _I should tell Rydia when she's alone; she'll want to know._ Loosening his grip on his lance, Kain continued to patrol around the house.

-S-

It was time for recess; Rydia had not been looking forward to it, but her children had asked and she was ready to answer.

The students usually spent their time outside the school house during recess. They played games with each other, and spent their time creating innocent chaos on the fields. However, they did obey their teacher to not go too far away.

However, this time, the students were sitting on the grass, eagerly awaiting their teacher's answer.

Sighing, Rydia sat on the grass in front of the congregation of children. "All right, you wanted to know who I asked to the ball, right?" she said to them. They all nodded with wide smiles. "Well, I did ask Kain—the dragoon—to it, and he said yes." Cheerful grins spread over the students' faces.

"Wow! So, you must really like mister Highwind, then?" Mark asked with clasped hands.

Rydia felt herself blush. "Well... he's a friend; one of my good friends. I just... um... you know," she said, stumbling over her words. "I wanted to spend more time with him since I hadn't seen him in two years."

Milina smiled; a knowing smile. "Uh-uh, I bet you asked him because you like him!"

Rydia could not help but giggle. She licked her lips and said, "A little... yes, a little."

"Is that why he's here?" Janett asked.

Rydia paused, her smile fading. _What should I tell them? I can't let them know._ She pondered and pondered; yet nothing came to mind for a moment. Then, she landed on a decision. _I hope this works. _"No, that's not why he's here," she said. "I can't tell you all the reasons, but... he's on a mission from the king."

There was an awed silence.

"A mission for what, Miss Rydia?" Mark asked.

She sighed, and then shook her head. "I'm sorry, I can't tell you. The king wants it to be kept a secret."

"You seem really worried," Milina said, stroking her chocobo's feathers anxiously.

"I'm... just worried about his safety," Rydia lied. "That's all." She shrugged and bit her lip. _No, I have to tell them._ "Children, I have to tell you the truth. I'm sorry, I lied. But... give a promise to me—all of you—that you will not tell your parents what I'm about to say."

Their worried expressions heightened to fear; however, they all nodded again."We promise, Miss Rydia," they said all in unison.

"The king discovered something... that I might be in danger. Someone may want to... hurt me," she said. Licking her lips, Rydia braced herself for worst.

It came; horrified countenances passed over each face, and then they started to chatter loudly among themselves.

"Stop!" Rydia commanded. "Please! I know this scares you, my students, but I promise all of you that I'll be all right. That's why Kain's here—the king ordered him to protect me." A peaceful feeling came to her as she saw all the faces relax, and smile brightly again.

"Oh, okay!" Janett said, beaming. "I promise I won't tell my mommy and daddy." The rest of the students murmured in agreement, and Rydia smiled.

"Thank you, my pupils," she said softly. "Come, I think recess is over. We're going to go over some mathematics now."

With calm relaxed expressions, they stood up one-by-one and entered the school house. Rydia followed shortly after. _I did the right thing,_ she thought before entering.

-S-

Kain had toured the town after his last patrol. Cecil had ordered him to examine Mist for anything suspicious; he only hoped that Rydia was safe. _Of course she's safe,_ he thought to himself.

So far, he had found nothing amiss in the town. He had asked many people in Mist in a subtle manner, about their thoughts on Rydia. He found that all who he met spoke very highly of her; and it seemed that only the man named Juste despised her. However, Kain had not talked to everyone in the town.

He made his way back to Rydia's school house. He remembered running into the woman named Elena, who seemed happy to see him.

_"Oh! Master Highwind! What brings you here?"_

_ "A mission from the king... I'm sorry that I cannot give the details."_

_ "Well, that's all right. If king Harvey wants to keep it a secret, that's fine. Did you see Rydia today?"_

_ "Uh... yes, I escorted her back her via airship."_

_ "Oh my... You two seem to getting along well. I heard she asked you to the ball."_

_ "She did... but she and I are merely friends."_

_ "I'm not so sure about that, Master Highwind... well, I hope your stay in Mist is a good one. I also hope you'll be successful in your mission."_

_ "Thank you, Elena."_

Kain had not appreciated Elena's suggestive attitude; it made him feel uncomfortable. Did she know that he and Rydia were slightly interested in each other? Or was she just playing a game with them? Either way, Kain was displeased.

_I suppose she's merely worried about Rydia's martial status,_ he thought as he walked up the hill toward Rydia's home.

Despite this, Kain's thoughts kept going back to the summoner. It was not because of the mission, but it was because of something else; something in his heart. _She could be happy... with me._ Perhaps it was unfair to Edge, but ever since Kain lost Rosa, his heart had weakened and sometimes despaired.

Soon, he arrived at her home; the school bell rang, and all the students burst out the door. However, their reactions surprised Kain; they did not rush out into the fields immediately, but instead jogged slowly down the hill. Rydia appeared at the doorway and called out to them.

"Be safe, children!"

They waved to her and then ran off like Kain would have expected normal school children to behave. He turned to Rydia and saw her smiling face pointing at him; he smiled back.

"Hello, Kain," she said. "How are you?"

"I'm well," he said to her. "You seem rather cheerful, and you don't seem to be worried anymore."

"It's because of my students," Rydia explained, peering out to the fields. "I always lose any negative feelings I have when I teach them. It's my dream, my hope." She looked at him again. "Of course, you already knew that."

Kain nodded. "You love them, don't you?"

Rydia nodded also. "Yes, as if they were my own." She released a deep sigh, still smiling.

"That is very admirable of you," Kain said to her, walking closer to her, but not too close. "I'm suppose that's why Elena pushes you so hard for marriage."

Her shoulders sagged. "Yes, it is. She sees me as the perfect mother," Rydia said. "But I don't feel ready."

He nodded. "Yes, and fortunately, you have the power to choose. So, no one can force you," Kain said softly to her. He saw Rydia play with the brass ring on her finger and then she smiled at him.

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you for being so understanding."

"Out of curiosity, Rydia," Kain said; the summoner looked up at him. "Why is it that they push you so hard to marry? You're only... twenty-one I'm assuming, yet that is awfully young to get married."

"It's because of the traditions in Mist," Rydia responded with her hands behind her back. "Usually, ladies marry around the age of nineteen or eighteen because it strengthens the summoner's blood of the child that will be born. Yet, it's only a belief. There's nothing in the Feymarch that I've yet to find that proves that."

"I see," Kain said. He patted her shoulder and said, "don't worry about it for now. I think the choice should be up to you; of when and who." He blinked, surprised to see her eyes now wet, and then she hugged him.

"Again, thank you, Kain," Rydia said. "Just like Edge, you understand how I feel."

They let go, and he said, "it's not a problem." There was a pause and then Kain blinked; he spoke up. "Rydia, I ran into, while I was patrolling the house, who appeared to be a very rich man named Juste. He does not seem to—"

"Like me?" Rydia said with a laugh. She wiped her eyes, and her bright countenance had returned. "Yes, he hates me. It's been that way since I started rebuilding Mist. He was a noble in Baron who moved to Mist, and he wants to be noticed by the people. You might say he's my rival."

"It's possible he might be part of those plotting something against you," Kain noted. "When I met him, he was unarmed," he added. "His behavior bothers me, however."

"It's always possible Juste's out to get me," Rydia said, shaking her head. "But, if he killed me—even in secret—he would be the first suspect on the list. Also, you may have noticed that he's not very discreet."

Kain snorted. "Indeed," he said. "He was very blunt about his feelings about you."

"Well, I'm not too worried about him," she said, smiling. "You're here, and you're the best dragoon in the land. I'm sure I'll be fine."

Kain nodded again. "I agree."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

_That night..._

The sky was clear, and the lonely moon was full; granting a small amount of light to those who strolled down the streets in the dark. Torches were placed on every corner of every building, and a large one that stood up was placed near the fountain in the town square.

Kain sat at the fountain, watching Rydia's house from a distance. So far, he had not seen any hostile intentions from any of the townspeople save Juste; and Kain hadn't seen the man since.

_Is he part of the plot? _he wondered, staring at the light reflecting off the school bell. _That is... if there is a plot at all. I haven't seen any assassins or heard of anything. Yet... assassins are very good at hiding their schemes._ Edge would be a great help to him now; due to his ninjustu and shadowy skills.

Yet he understood why Cecil sent him; it because Edge had a kingdom to run, and Kain did not. He would just have to do the best he could to protect Rydia. _It's so difficult; I need more information, but... it might cause an uproar if the people discovered that she is in possible danger._

"You're out late, Master Highwind," a familiar voice said. "Do you enjoy evening walks?"

He already knew it was Elena, he turned his head to see her standing near the fountain with a smile on her face; a non-suggestive smile that made Kain relax.

"Not usually," he said to her. "I am... thinking—pondering, you might say."

"Is it about your mission?"

"Yes," he said after a long pause. "I met a man named Juste today. He does not like Rydia, it seems."

Elena shook her head. "Juste and the other 'noblemen' dislike her in general," she said. Kain shot a glance at her. Noblemen? "They see her as lower class, and so... well, you probably understand."

"I see," Kain said with a nod. He rubbed his chin. "But... 'noblemen?' Are there more than Juste? And where did they come from?"

Elena frowned. "Baron; all of them," she said, sounding worried. "When they drink too much, I hear them call Rydia foul things that I... just can't repeat." She groaned. "Rydia is such a kind woman, and I'm sure you've noticed that, Master Highwind. It makes me wonder why anyone would hate her so."

Kain licked his lips. Foul things? "What... exactly do they say about her when they are drunk?"

Elena winced and shook her head swiftly. "No, no! I really do not want to repeat what they say. It's awful! I mean... they are drunk at the time, but I wonder if those words are their feelings about her inside. Ugh. I'm really sorry, I don't want to say those things."

"No," Kain said, holding a hand. "I understand. Do you know when they go drinking?"

"I'm not certain," Elena said with a shrug. "Always at night, but not at the normal pub; a special pub that they made for themselves."

"Where is it located?" he said, standing up.

"On the opposite side of town." Curiosity spread over her face. "Why do you ask? What are you up to?"

"I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head slowly. "I cannot tell you." He braced himself for her to push the issue.

"Very well," Elena said to his surprise. "I'm beginning to wonder if your mission has something to do with our beloved summoner. But... it's not my place to ask, is it?" She sighed. "I pray nothing horrible happens to our dear Rydia."

"Don't worry, nothing will," Kain said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Rest well tonight, Elena."

"And you too, Master Highwind," she returned with a needed smile. After that, she walked away from him, possibly back to her home.

_They say foul things about her... hm... it's a problem I didn't bring my ball clothes. I'd be able to pass off as a noble with those._ He snapped his fingers. "I'll send an epistle to Cecil," he said to himself. "I need to let him know what's happening in any case."

Kain turned south and headed for the inn. The building was only a short ways away from the fountain and could technically be considered part of the town square. He opened the door to the flat-roofed inn, and headed up the stairs to his room.

The inn in Mist was more advanced than others; every person now could have a private room. Kain had heard of other towns working on renovating their inns to be like this one, but Mist had been the first do so.

He opened the door and entered his room. He didn't have time to remove his armor, save his gloves, due to the urgency of the letter. It was not just Kain's ball clothes that he required, but Cecil would need to know about Juste and the other nobles.

Kain wrote quickly, yet clearly. After a half-hour, he had finished his epistle. He rolled it up like a scroll and sealed it with three stamps—all with the symbol of Baron Royalty.

Putting on his gloves, Kain took the sealed letter to the innkeeper downstairs. "My pardons," Kain said. "But can you send this epistle to the king of Baron immediately? It is urgent. If not, where do I go to send it?" Usually, innkeepers were the ones to give letters to.

"Don't worry," the innkeeper said with a wave of his hand. He extended his hand toward Kain. "I can get a rider to send it to his majesty tonight."

Kain nodded, and gave him the epistle. "My thanks."

-S-

Rydia didn't usually go to the fountain at the square for obvious reasons (such as pressure to marry), but tonight she felt the need to be in a place with plenty of light. Why was she afraid? Kain was here. And she had been so confident earlier that day.

_Assassins? Murderers? Burglars? Thieves? Kidnappers?_ There were innumerable ways to harm Rydia, and the mere ideas made her shiver. Even the scent of the fresh water from the fountain did not ease her nerves.

She heard footsteps approaching her, metal scraping across stone. She looked in the direction of the sound and saw Kain walking to her. Rydia smiled. "Ah, hello again, Kain."

The dragoon nodded at her and returned the smile. "How has your evening been?" he asked, taking a seat beside her.

"Stressful," Rydia admitted with a sigh; her smile curving into a frown.

"Why?" Kain asked.

"Because... I don't feel as safe as I did earlier today. I don't know why," Rydia explained, shifting from side to side. "That's why I'm here... being in the light comforts me."

"That makes sense," Kain said. "So you are worried that there is an attempt on your life? Or some other horrible thing?"

"Yes," Rydia said after a pause. "Yes, I do. It's just a feeling... but I don't feel secure right now." She looked back at him. "Have you ever felt that way?"

Kain nodded. "When we were leaving the Sealed Cave, I did," he said. "I was afraid that Golbez would control me again."

Rydia smiled. "Yes, that makes sense," she said. "You never wanted to be Golbez's, or shall I say Zemus's puppet again, did you?"

"Indeed. The thought of betraying Cecil, Rosa... you and the others frightened me," he said softly."If that happened, I felt as if I couldn't face all of you again."

"And it did happen," Rydia said. She scooted closer to him. "Yet, we forgave you."

"And I appreciated it," Kain said. Rydia looked at him again. Despite the fact that his helmet covered his eyes; there was such a gentle expression on his face. An expression that relaxed her, if just a little.

There was a silent pause between the two. Rydia was beginning to feel a little awkward, and cleared her throat.

"Well," Rydia said. "I hope no one in the village has found out about your mission yet."

"Don't worry," Kain said to her. "No one has pressured me, not even Elena. I ran into her earlier," he added. "She's very concerned for your well-being."

"Yes, she always is."

"I told her about Juste," Kain continued. "And she already knew that he disliked you, but... I learned about the other noblemen that live here. When they become drunk... apparently they say 'horrible' things about you."

Rydia frowned. "I didn't know that," she said slowly. "Does that mean... they could be planning something?"

"I don't know," he said looking back at her. "They could be part of the plot, or they're just spouting drunk nonsense. Regardless, I sent an epistle to Cecil of late, telling him about the situation and asking for my ball clothes."

She raised a brow. "Huh? Your ball clothes? Why?"

"Apparently, these nobles that hate you have a special pub that only people like them can enter. I may be able to pass as one with that outfit."

Rydia could not help but grin. "That's very clever; Edge would approve," she said. "Though... my children—students did push about your mission. I'm sorry to say that I told them the truth."

"Why?" Kain asked. He sounded slightly offended which made Rydia nervous.

"Because they kept assuming that... you and I were..." She swallowed. "You know what I mean. They thought you were here because... well, I took you to the ball, and..." She shook her head, wondering why her hands were chilly. "Well, I made them promise me not to tell their parents. I'm sure they'll keep it."

"I see." Kain nodded. He sat up and looked at the sky. Rydia did the same, wondering what he was looking at. "I hope they keep that promise."

"Oh, they will," she said with a soft voice, looking back at Kain. "They will."

He looked at her, and the two locked eyes for a moment; then pulled away from each other.

"I need to sleep soon," Rydia noted rather casually. "I'm sorry to ask this of you, but Kain, can you watch my home as I sleep tonight? It's—"

Kain smiled and shook his head. "It is not a burden, Rydia. I have kept watch without rest before, so I would gladly do so for you."

Rydia exhaled, her pulse felt faster than normal. "Um... yes, of course," she said. "Thank you." She stood up from the fountain, and turned to him with a smile. "Good night, Kain."

"Rest well, fair lady," he responded. Rydia blushed and then nodded.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Rydia laid down on her bed to rest. She kept her dragon whisker on her nightstand; abnormal for her. _Why am I afraid?_ she wondered. _Kain's watching the perimeter of the house. I should be fine._ There was strange sense of foreboding in her heart—a feeling that made her heart cold.

Rydia closed her eyes and sighed. Despite her anxiety, she fell asleep quickly. Her dreams were flooded with images of men with knives sneaking around her place. Wicked grins on their faces; there were many, too many for Kain to handle at once. And then the window broke.

She woke up, turning to her window to see that it had actually broken. Immediately, a figure dressed in black with a cloak jumped inside. "Damn. I was hoping you would be asleep," he said, sounding disappointed. "But either way, you'll die tonight!" The assassin jumped into her room.

Rydia wished he had been Edge, but the assassin's voice was too hard and cold to be her ninja. She grabbed her whip, and rolled out of bed to the opposite side. Less than a second passed as she heard the sound of something tearing into her cotton bedding.

With the snap of her fingers, Rydia shot up and lashed the assassin with her whip, and cast an ice spell on him. First, the weapon made a direct hit on his arm and he let out a yell of pain.

Then, the spell encased him in ice, freezing the assassin in place.

At least, so she thought until she saw and hear him use a Flame ninjustu, melting the ice away. The ninja, with two kunais in each hand rushed her.

"_Kain!_" Rydia screamed as she jumped over her bed and dodged—just barely—the ninja's attack. Not risking a glance back, Rydia jumped out the window and slammed into the ground. She tasted blood; something made a snapping noise, and Rydia felt her left leg go limp. _Blast!_

The assassin flew out of the window with his kunais out to impale her when another figure appeared and clashed into the ninja, knocking him away from Rydia and onto the ground.

"Kain!" Rydia shouted with relief. The dragoon landed on the grass softly. The assassin rolled across the ground and cursed. He dashed away from the dragoon at immense speed.

"Leave this to me!" Kain said, twirling his Wyvern Lance.

"What if there are others?"

"I never said I was leaving your side," he commented with a grin. With his left arm, he threw his lance at the fleeing ninja.

The lance struck his right leg, and he let out a loud growl of pain. Falling onto the grass and catching himself with his hands, the assassin pulled the lance out of his leg, and then began to run again albeit at a much slower pace.

_How the...? His leg's not broken?_ Rydia raised her hand and snapped her fingers. "_Blizzard!_"

In front of the assassin, a layer of thin ice was formed on the ground. The ninja apparently didn't see it in time as he slipped and fell face-first onto the sheet of ice.

"Quick!" Kain said, tossing Rydia a Hi-Potion. Without another word, he leaped into the air, brandishing his other lance, and aimed to slam into the assassin.

But he was swift; the ninja released another Flame ninjustu and melted the ice. He rolled to the side, barely avoiding Kain's attack. The assassin then leaped in the air toward the roof of Rydia's house.

A foolish mistake as Kain had jumped at the same time, and launched himself into the air above the assassin. Even in the dark, Rydia could see a look of terror his eyes. Kain impaled the assassin's right arm with his lance, and forced him to the ground. There was a loud crack as he hit the bottom and he let out a bellowing scream of pain.

"Dammit! My back!"

"It's over, assassin," Kain said with a dark voice.

Rydia downed the Hi-Potion and feeling returned to her leg. She stood up, her left leg complaining and approached the paralyzed ninja.

"Heh. It looks like you win, witch," he said, growling at her. Then Kain grabbed the man by the collar and lifted him up; eye-to-eye. "Going to kill me, Mister Dragoon?"

"No," Kain said, glowering at him. "Who are you, and who sent you to kill Rydia? And are there more of you?"

The assassin managed a weak cackle. "I won't tell you. I would rather die first than let you know about my client. Though, I will tell you that I sent alone."

"Client?" Rydia asked, her hands on her hips. "You were being paid to do this?"

"Rydia!" a female voice called. Rydia turned and blinked.

"Elena?"

The woman rushed over to her and embraced her. "What happened? I heard you scream for Master Highwind!" she exclaimed.

"What? How did you hear me scream?" Rydia asked with a raised brow.

"We all did," said a harsh, and impatient male voice.

"Juste..." Rydia let go of Elena and glared at him. "... are you a part of this?"

"What?" the assassin said. "I don't that man; though it looks like I could have made a fortune killing him," he added. He let out a grunt of pain. Rydia glanced in time to see Kain punch the assassin in the face.

Juste snorted. "How dare you, Rydia?" he growled. "You think I would hire someone to murder you? Why?"

"You hate me," Rydia growled back.

"Sure," Juste said with his arms folded. "I hate you, and the whole town knows it, but do you think I want you dead? No! I'm not interested in getting crass blood on my hands."

"Why you...!" Elena exclaimed. She moved toward Juste, but Rydia restrained her. The woman looked at her in surprise, but Rydia shook her head.

"I would watch your tongue if I were you, Juste," Kain warned. He threw the assassin on the ground back first and towered over him. "Answer my questions. Now."

"Go ahead, torture me," the ninja said with a laugh. "I'll never talk, no matter what you do."

Juste walked up and kicked the assassin in the waist. "Won't talk, eh? Who else were you planning to assassinate tonight, too? Me? My friends? Maybe the mayor?"

"Only her, you son of a—"

"Silence!" Kain yelled. He slammed the tip of his lance into the ground next to the ninja's head. "Again, who are you?"

"Heh, fine," the assassin said with a sadistic grin. "I..." he coughed; blood. "I'm a poor man who migrated from Eblan to Damcyan, looking for work. My client told me that if I killed the summoner, I would be paid well, and not to mention I would have the glory of the world!"

"You're pathetic," Elena hissed.

"And you're an idiot," Juste added at the asssassin. "Murder doesn't glorify anyone. All it does is make them look like a sick monster."

"I'm going to have this man taken to Baron where the king can deal with him," Kain said. "I won't leave Mist, however. Do you have any extra guards that could take him away?" he asked Juste and Elena.

"Yes," Juste said. "Just have Rydia get the mayor. I'm sure he'll be happy to serve her."

"Juste...!" Rydia gritted her teeth at him.

"You filth!" Elena added. "How dare you think that of our mayor!"

"Hmph!" He shook his head. "Truth hurts, doesn't it? Well, regardless, I'm going back to sleep since this is none of my business." He turned around and stormed off.

Rydia glared at him, watching him disappeared behind the hill.

"I bet he had something to do with this," Elena said. "Rydia dear," she said, her voice was soft. "Are you hurt?"

Rydia smiled at her. "No, I'm fine... except for my leg. I broke it when I jumped out my window. But it's fine now," she added quickly, seeing Elena's worried face. "Kain gave me a Hi-Potion to heal it. Though, you know, it's going to be aching for a few days."

Elena smiled weakly. "I'm glad. Thank you, Master Highwind," she said, turning to Kain with clasped hands. Rydia could tears of relief running down Elena's face. He nodded at her.

"Oh, how touching..." the assassin remarked. "Ow!" Kain kicked his ribs.

"Rydia, I suppose you'll get the mayor?" the dragoon asked hesitantly.

"No, no," Elena said, interrupting Rydia. "I'll do it. Keep Rydia with you in case that fiend is lying."

"Good idea," Kain said with an approving nod. "Be swift, though."

Rydia, the meantime, picked up Kain's Wyvern Lance and walked over to him with it laid in her arms. He turned his head and his body around and blinked. She smiled at him. "You forgot this," she said, almost playfully.

The dragoon smiled back at her, and relieved her of the lance. "Thank you, Rydia."

"No," she said. Kain froze before strapping the weapon onto his back. "Thank _you_, Kain." She embraced him, feeling safe again.

"I was merely doing my duty as a knight and on Cecil's orders," Kain said. Rydia could see him grinning however. "I..."

"Yes," Rydia agreed. "But you did it for other reasons, too. Right?" She released him, and Kain strapped the Wyvern Lance to his back. He picked up his other weapon and nodded at her.

"Ugh," the assassin groaned from behind them. "Is your touching moment over yet?"

Kain turned around to face the assassin. Rydia glared at the ninja, and could only assume that the dragoon was doing the same.

"Even when you are wounded and unable to move, your tongue is still foul," Kain remarked with cold tone. "I would kill you now, but I will wait to see what the king wants to do to you. And since you're from Eblan, I'm sure the prince would be interested, too."

"I'm sure—" The assassin coughed up some blood. "I'm sure he will."

-S-

After the guards had secured the assassin, and the mayor had written an epistle to Cecil (with some help from Kain and Rydia), they sent him away to Baron. Before her foe's journey, Rydia had cast Osmose—a mana draining spell—on the ninja so that he could not use any ninjustu. The assassin cursed her all the way out of Mist.

Kain was relieved that Rydia was safe; however, something bothered him. _That assassin did not seem skilled enough. Why?_ he wondered. With a shrug he turned around to face the summoner, who was beaming at him.

"I suppose I should go back to bed now, eh?" Rydia said with a yawn. "I think you can rest, too, Kain."

He shook his head. "No, I cannot," he said. "I promised I would protect you throughout the night, did I not?" He resisted a yawn. "I will keep that promise to you."

"Kain..."

Then, he heard a voice calling out for him. Kain turned around and saw a Baron messenger (he could tell by the crest on the man's armor) on a chocobo riding up to meet him. "His Majesty has sent you a reply letter with the package you requested," he said.

Kain nodded appreciatively. "Excellent," he said, taking the medium-sized bag from the messenger and the letter. "We've sent another epistle to His Majesty about a recent incident here; however, it is being transported by Mist guards; they also have a captive with them. If you would be so kind, will you assist them?"

The messenger cocked a smile. "Of course, Master Highwind. I assume they are heading through the cavern?" he asked.

"Yes," Kain said.

"Very well," he said. "I will go and escort them," he added, patting a white, glowing sword sheathed at his side.

_He's a sun knight._ Kain nodded. The messenger turned his chocobo around and headed off in the direction of the Mist Cavern.

He faced Rydia. "Well, this is convenient," he remarked. "With these, I can infiltrate Juste's special pub and see exactly what they say about you, Rydia."

"Wait, what's in the package?" she asked with a curious tone.

"My ball clothes," Kain said. "I should be able to pass off as nobleman, especially if they are drunk, and get inside."

Rydia giggled. "That's very wise of you, Kain," she said with admiration in her voice. "Edge would very much approve."

"Indeed, I'm sure he would," Kain said.

There was a pause; he noticed that Rydia seemed nervous—anxious, even.

"What is it?" he asked, blinking.

Rydia shuffled her feet, not looking at him. "Um... nothing," she said after a silent moment. "Just... thank you," she added, looking back at him with a weary smile. "I should head back to bed."

Kain nodded. "As always, you're welcome, Rydia."

She smiled again, and then turned around slowly to head back to her house. Kain watched her as she walked away, admiring her beauty. Indeed, he had other reasons; other reasons indeed.

-S-

_The following afternoon at Baron Castle..._

"Wait, what did you say?" Edge asked. His eyes widened and his heart was beginning to fill with cold horror.

"You heard me," Cecil said, sitting on the throne. "Kain escorted Rydia to Mist because—"

"How long ago was that?"

"Barely two days," Cecil said. He let out a sigh. "Edge—"

"What!? A couple of days?" he interrupted loudly. "What the hell..." He rubbed his hair in frustration. "Can't you call Kain back?"

"No," Cecil responded. "He's on a mission over there."

"A mission? For what?"

"Remember the rebels we caught, Edge?" the paladin said. "I overheard them talking about Rydia and Mist and I have this feeling that she could be in danger. That's why I sent Kain to go with her."

"They want to harm Rydia?" Edge asked, folding his arms. "Why? Why would anyone want to hurt her?" Cecil shrugged. "You know... _I_ could have gone and protected her instead of Kain."

He chuckled and stood up. "You're still jealous over the ball, aren't you?" he asked. "Edge, you have _two years _of a relationship with Rydia. Two years. You shouldn't worry."

Edge exhaled. "I suppose you're right, Cecil. But, she could change her mind at any time, you know?" he said, working his jaw.

"It'll be fine," Cecil repeated. He patted Edge on the shoulder. "Besides, she danced with you at the ball. Rosa and I were a little surprised, but then again, Edward said nothing against it."

"True, true," Edge said, nodding. "She never talked about Kain the whole time we danced." _Though, there were a couple of times when I think she glanced back at him._

"See? You're fine," Cecil said with a shrug. "Besides, Kain sent me an epistle recently. He needed his ball outfit."

"What for?"

"There's a man named 'Juste,' who apparently despises Rydia," Cecil explained.

"Oh yeah, I know about him," Edge said with a growl. "He thinks Rydia is too 'low class' and that she seems to run everything. I mean, he has a point there, the mayor often asks Rydia for advice, but still..." He shook his head. "If I had the chance, I'd pummel Juste. So, why does Kain need the ball outfit?"

"Apparently, there's a special pub for Juste and his friends," Cecil said, pacing. "Kain wants to see if he can pass as a noble and get inside. He heard from a woman named 'Elena' that they say... terrible things about our summoner when drunk." He looked at Edge. "Kain wants to infiltrate the pub and see for himself."

"Heh, not bad for a dragoon," Edge remarked, grinning under his mask. "He's starting to think like a ninja."

"Your majesty!" a voice cried out. Edge spun around to see a courier run into the throne room and to Cecil. "My pardons for barging in, but Master Highwind has sent another epistle. It is very important that you read it." The courier handed the letter to Cecil.

He nodded, and dismissed the courier. Edge watched as Cecil opened the letter. After a minute of reading, he saw the paladin's eyes go wide.

"Edge, someone tried to assassinate Rydia last night," he said slowly.

"_What!?_" Edge exclaimed. "Who was the assassin?"

"A ninja from Eblan," Cecil explained. He handed the letter to Edge. "Apparently, he migrated from Eblan to Damcyan in search of work. He found a client, who asked him to kill Rydia. But he won't tell us who the client is."

"Great," Edge said, looking over Kain's message. "It looks like we'll have to torture him. I hate torture."

"So do I, my friend," Cecil said with a submissive sigh.

"Though, it's really odd what Kain says about the assassin here," Edge pointed out. "The assassin didn't seem very skilled or subtle; he awoke Rydia as soon as he entered her home." He looked up and frowned. "That doesn't sound right."

"I agree," Cecil said.

Then, the door opened and the captain of the guard entered. "Your majesty," he said to Cecil with a bow. "Two guards from Mist have brought a heavily wounded captive. They say that he—"

"—tried to assassinate Rydia?" Cecil finished for him.

"Yes, your majesty."

"Take him to the dungeons. I will go with the Prince of Eblan to question this man."

"As you wish, your majesty," the captain said, bowing. He left the room.

"Cecil... I should go to Mist to see if Rydia's all right," Edge said, folding his arms. "I know Kain's there, but she is my beloved."

"I suppose," Cecil said with a sigh. "But only be for a few hours or so." Edge opened his mouth to protest. "No. I need you here because I'm not entirely familiar with Eblanese training and the like. I won't be able to do without you."

Edge groaned. _Dammit. Are you trying to let Kain take her from me?_

"You're still worried, aren't you?" Cecil asked, as if he was reading Edge's mind.

"Yes," he nodded. "I am."

Cecil sighed. "Again, you shouldn't worry. After this is over, you can go visit Rydia."

"What are you? My father?" Edge growled. Cecil jumped, startled. "I want to make sure she's okay!"

"Edge... if you love Rydia, wouldn't you want to find out who this client is to prevent more attempts on her life?" Cecil asked with folded arms.

Edge bit his lip and sagged his shoulders. "All right, I'll go over there in the Falcon just to check on her and then come back."

"Very well," Cecil said. "Fly safe."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

_That morning..._

Rydia stretched releasing a large yawn; the sun was sending its rays into her room as she sat on her damaged bed. _Blasted shuriken..._ she thought, rubbing the tear in her sheets. She had given the weapon to Kain for examination, but she wasn't sure what good that would do.

_Kain..._ she sighed. _What's wrong with me? Don't I love Edge? But Kain... Kain..._ She exhaled, and stroked her throat. She felt confused over the situation. _I... don't have time for this, what time is it, anyway?_ Rydia looked at the clock on her nightstand.

Seven forty-five.

_Oh, dear! School starts in fifteen minutes!_ It was fortunate that she had prepared the lesson the previous day, but she needed to wash up and dress; which would take awhile.

Rydia jumped out of her bed, and scrambled to the washing basin on the other side. Disrobing, grabbing the soap and moving to grab a bucket, Rydia stopped and noticed it was already filled with water. _Huh? Who filled it?_

Shrugging to herself, Rydia dove in and washed herself at inhuman speed. She snatched the special lotion for her hair, rubbed it and then dunked her head into the water.

Feeling clean enough, Rydia got out, dried herself with a towel, and dressed herself in her usual outfit. She shook her head, ridding her thoughts of the dragoon, combed her hair and then clipped on her hair ornament with the ruby and the feather.

She checked the time to see seven fifty-nine barely turn to eight o'clock.

_Oh, great!_ Rydia ran to the her office, and grabbed her lesson plans, located in a binder. She back into her room, snatched her dragon whisker, and exited her private room into the school room.

There was already a chorus of knocks on her door.

"Miss Rydia! Where are you?"

She hurried down the stairs to the door and unlocked it. Opening the door, she saw her eager children waiting for her. She smiled wearily at them.

"I'm sorry, I had... a late night," she said. "Come inside for a bit. Your teacher needs to check what we're doing today."

"Don't you always know what we're learning every day, though?"

"Yes, but... I had a late night, like I said," Rydia explained. "So, I didn't sleep well. It'll only take a few minutes, I promise."

"Okay!"

She ushered in the children one-by-one, smiling at and greeting each one as they entered. When they entered, she closed the door and headed over to her desk, trying not to appear rushed.

Her students had already sat down by the time Rydia was at her desk. _I'm always amazed at how much they want to learn._ She placed her binder on the desk, and opened it to the current day's lesson plan.

_History on Eidolons – Lesson 10 – Eidolon Origin as currently known_

_ Mathematics Level 5 – Multiplication and Division_

_ Literature – Writing a short story_

_ (Go outside) Summoning Practice_

"Ah, here we go," she said.

"Miss Rydia...?" Milina asked, sounding worried. "Can I ask you something before we start?"

Rydia blinked. "Of course," she said, smiling at her. "What is it?"

"Did someone really try to murder you last night?"

There was a shocked outburst from the students; they all stared at Milina, who blushed a little. Rydia sighed. _Elena, you didn't have to tell your child._ She nodded. "Calm down, everyone, please. You know the rules we set up at the beginning of the year." She waved her hands up and down for emphasis. After a mere second, the children quieted down and turned their stares to her.

Rydia exhaled. "Yes, someone tried to kill me last night," she admitted. "Now, don't be alarmed, I was able to hold off the assassin until Kain came. But—"

"The nice dragoon saved you?" Mark said with wide eyes. He smiled. "He must really like you!"

She blushed a little, but hid her pink face by covering it with her hands. "Yes, he saved me, but that was because he was just going what our king asked him to do. I hope you all kept your promise." They all nodded vigorously. Rydia let out a relieved sigh. "I'm glad. Thank you. Milina... how did you find out about this?"

"My mother told me," she said as Rydia had predicted. "Well, after I asked her over and over what happened. I thought I had heard you scream last night and mother told me to stay in bed, so I did."

_So, Elena gave in..._ Rydia thought with a frown. Fortunately, her pupils didn't seem to be shaken, just concerned. They all looked their teacher in the eyes with sympathy and a little fear. "My children, don't be afraid. As long as Kain is here, I'll be safe. You also all know I can handle myself in a fight... and if I can't, that's when I summon an eidolon to help me. Isn't that what we're here to learn about?"

Their frightened expressions faded, and smiles spread on every face as they nodded.

"Good," Rydia said with a calm voice. "Now, today we're going to start with history lessons on eidolons instead of math." More smiles. She smiled back. "Because this lesson will be an important one. Get out your notes, and pay attention. Because today, we will be learning about where eidolons came from originally; at least as much as scholars know."

-S-

Kain awoke to the sound of children laughing. Standing up, he yawned and rubbed his face. In his right hand, he held the shuriken that had been thrown at the summoner the previous night. _Did I..._ He turned around and saw the outside wall of Rydia's schoolhouse. The sun was high in the sky, and he assumed it was afternoon.

_ Blast! _he thought. _I fell asleep on watch... that is after I—_ Then, he heard Rydia's voice.

"Hello, sleepy-head." She was standing at the corner of the house, leaning on it with her hand. She looked marvelous in the same outfit that she had been wearing when she had caught Kain on the mountainside.

"Do you always dress this well?" Kain asked with a smirk.

"Of course," Rydia said, smiling. "I need to look nice as a teacher; you know, professional looking. And I like to look nice in general," she added with a shrug.

"Did you manage to bathe in time for your class?" Kain asked.

"Yes, I did," Rydia said. "Wait... how did you know?" She raised a very suspicious brow. "You're not the type to pee—"

"I didn't," Kain said with a grin on his face. "I figured you would sleep in because of the rough night, so I jumped passed your window as quietly as I could and filled your wash basin with fresh water."

Rydia looked dumbfounded; though pleasantly dumbfounded. "You were the one who filled my basin? Wow... Kain... I..." She swallowed and then cleared her throat. "Thank you. That was very thoughtful of you."

"I'm glad you appreciate it," Kain said. He yawned again.

"Sounds like you need to rest a little," she said. He nodded and opened his eyes to see Rydia in front of him, hands on his shoulders. She smiled sweetly. "Go and relax," she said with a soft tone. She was rubbing his shoulder pads, but he could almost feel her soft touch.

"It may be a poor idea to sleep now," Kain said, trying to restrain himself from blushing. "That would... um..." he noticed the kind, almost loving expression on her face. And his own face grew warm. "Uh... it would hinder my sleep schedule."

"You don't need to sleep," Rydia said, her hands still on his shoulders. "Just rest. Take a nap. You were planning to go into Juste's pub, right? I don't think you want to look tired when you enter."

Kain smiled at her. "You're right, I will relax a little. Yet, I still will keep watch for you."

"All right," she said. "Can I take the shuriken from you? I think Edge might be able to gather clues more easily from it."

"Of course," Kain handed the shuriken to Rydia. He glanced around her to see a few of the students peering at them with open smiles. "We've been spotted."

Rydia removed her hands from his shoulders and turned around. She gasped, putting a hand to her mouth. "What are you doing?"

The children didn't answer. Instead, they giggled and ran off. She sighed.

"Wonderful," she said, turning back to Kain. Her hand was on her forehead as if she had a headache. "They already think that... uh... you like me. And now, they might have... ermm... proof. Th-that's not to say that I'm...!"

He waved his hand at her and shook his head. "Do not worry about it, keep teaching them as you have. They really seem to adore you, Rydia."

The summoner smiled again, and cocked her head to the side. "Yes, they do. I'll get back to them." She turned around and headed back into the field. Kain smiled to himself.

_I wonder... if perhaps... she and I could be..._ He sighed, and turned away, heading for the inn.

"I bet you enjoyed that," a sour and familiar voice said behind him. Kain rolled his eyes and turned to see Edge. "So, you _are _trying to steal my girl away."

"Edge, I'm doing nothing of the sort," he half-lied. "If anything, she made the advances on me. Regardless, why are you here? Did you hear about the attempted assassination?"

"Yes." Edge nodded, his eyes still cold. "I was at Baron, visiting Cecil when your second epistle arrived. You think I wouldn't come to check on her?" he added accusingly.

"Of course not," Kain said with a frown. "You love her. I wouldn't expect less of you, especially since you were so close by."

"Indeed," Edge said, his voice cold. "But keep your hands off of her, all right?"

"... very well," Kain said. _I can't make any promises, Edge._

-S-

Rydia watched her children play with each other; Milina had summoned her chocobo to make their games more fun, and already the students were learning how to ride the bird; taking turns.

A puff of smoke appeared behind her, and she sighed. "Hello, Edge."

He walked up next to her and watched the children. For some odd reason, Rydia felt very tense. Was it coming from Edge? Or was she just nervous?

"Rydia, I wanted to see how you were doing after last night's attack," Edge said, relaxed, yet a hint of jealousy in his voice.

"I'm well, Edge. Kain—" Rydia started.

"—protected you?" He finished for her. She thought he heard him growl. "Yes, I know. Cecil received his epistle on the assassination attempt." He didn't look at her, and then he sighed, sounding guilty. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be mad at you." Rydia looked at him and then Edge embraced her.

For the first time, Rydia felt uncomfortable in Edge's arms. Yet, she also did not feel anymore tension. "Edge... what did you see?" she asked.

He released her, and paused; an awkward pause. "I saw you rubbing Kain's shoulders and heard you speaking softly to him."

Rydia swallowed, louder than she wanted.

"You like him?" Edge asked with a solemn nod.

"N-no... that's not it," she said, her face warm and her breathing fast. "We're not like that. We're... we're just friends. You have nothing... nothing to worry about."

"You're lying."

"Edge... I..."

"It's all right," he said, putting his hand on her mouth. "If you like him, that's okay. Just remember, I still love you. I don't want to get in the way of your choices." He removed his hand, and Rydia could sense a kind, caring smile behind his mask. She sighed, relaxed.

"Don't let love get in the way of your teaching, Rydia," he said. "I'm glad you're safe," he added.

"Thank you, Edge," Rydia said with an appreciative nod. Edge gave her another hug. "Here, take this before you go," she added. She handed him the shuriken. "The assassin tried to kill me with this." Edge nodded before leaving in mist of smoke.

She looked back at her students and saw that they hadn't paid any attention to her conversation with Edge; they were still playing. Rydia took out her pocket watch. "All right, children!" she called out to them. "Afternoon recess is over, we have some more to learn." There were groans. "Stay outside; it's our last part of the lesson today. We're going to practice summoning."

-S-

Edge turned back toward Baron with the wind in his hair as he flew the Falcon toward the castle, scowling. He was rough with the helm, making sharp turns when he didn't need to, and circled Baron a few too many times before landing at the castle.

He made his way to the dungeons, and found Cecil there along with the heavily wounded assassin locked behind a prison door.

Cecil looked at him and opened his mouth, but then closed it. "You look irritated, Edge, what's wrong?"

Edge motioned for Cecil to come closer, and that he did. He looked confused, blinking his eyes.

"Apparently, Kain's catching Rydia's eyes," Edge said in a low whisper. "There's not a damn thing I can do about it and he has more time to flirt with her."

Cecil sighed. "I'm sorry," he said, keeping his voice down as well. "Are you angry with her?"

"No, just Kain," Edge whispered. "I hope he finishes his damn 'mission' soon. Rydia... nevermind, let's interrogate this monster." He approached the cell with Cecil next to him. "Are you going to talk?" Edge asked the assassin.

"No," he said flatly. "Nothing you do will make me talk. Torture me. Kill me. It'll do you no good!" There was a sadistic grin on the assassin's face.

"I'm sure I can think of something," Edge said. The mere thought of trying to think up something that would make the assassin talk caused his stomach to turn.

"Ha! Whatever you try will fail!" The assassin looked rather smug, despite his wounds.

Edge exchanged glances with Cecil. Sighing, Edge looked back at the prisoner and took out the shuriken Rydia had given him. "So... this is the weapon you tried to kill Rydia with, correct?"

"Yes, what of it?" The assassin snorted.

"Who gave it to you?" Edge asked coolly. "Your client? If so, we can track him through magical means."

"I had that shuriken since I left Eblan," the assassin, glaring at Edge. "My client gave me nothing but instructions."

_He's revealing more than he said he would._ Edge exchanged glances with Cecil again. "So, about the shuriken—"

"No!" he said flatly. "I told you too much already. You're getting nothing out of me!"

Edge looked at Cecil. "Torture then?" he said with a groan.

The paladin sighed, resigned. "Yes," he said. His shoulders sagged and he had a sad frown on his face. "We will have to."

"Weaklings," the assassin taunted. "Afraid to torture me? It won't help you regardless. I've been trained withstand all types of torture. Even if you kill me, you'll get nothing from me!"

"Oh, shut up!" Edge growled at him. "_Shadowbind!_" Conjuring a ninjustu, he unleashed a flurry of blue, wispy nails that came from above the assassin and then pinned him to the ground; paralyzing him. "Keep your taunts to yourself, bastard."

Cecil groaned and sighed. "Guards!" he called. A couple of men walked down the stairs. "Take this prisoner down to the lower dungeons."

"Your majesty...?"

"Yes, I know," Cecil said to them. "I wish I would never had to use that part of the dungeon, but we have no choice. I'll unseal it."

"Of course, your majesty." The guards bowed; Edge heard resignation in their voices, and he didn't envy them.

The cell was opened and the paralyzed assassin was dragged out of it. Cecil led Edge and the guards down into the lower reaches of the dungeons. He pulled a torch and a door swung open before them. The lower regions of Baron's dungeons—where torture occurred. As far as Edge knew, even Golbez, when he was in control of Baron, rarely used this place.

_He must had have some sense of himself like Kain did when he was controlled._

Thus, Cecil, Edge, and the guards (with their captive) descended deeper into the dungeons.

-S-

_That night at Mist..._

Once again, Kain found himself looking himself over in his fancy outfit; the additional gold ribbons over his vest made him look regal enough to pass as a noble. _At least, I hope..._ he thought, exhaling through pursed lips. _No, it will work, _he added to himself with a nod.

He exited his room and then out of the inn. Kain had found out the location by asking people non-directly about it. The pub was situated at on a hill on the opposite side of Rydia's school house, near where the chasm used to be. After learning the location, he thought it should have been rather obvious, save that the pub did not look any different than the houses in Mist.

Kain trudged up the hill toward the pub. Licking his lips, he straightened his collar and approached the door. He opened the door, finding himself face to face with a rather bulky man in a suit with a bow-tie. _A bouncer..._

"Greetings," Kain said cordially. "I'm looking for Juste. I'm new in town and wanted to drink with the nobles."

The bouncer said nothing, and instead he was staring Kain down. After a long pause, he said, "You look like one of them nobles, but where's your invitation?"

Kain licked his lips; he had not counted on this. "I was not told that an invitation was required for this pub."

"Well, too bad," the bouncer said smugly. "You can't come in, then."

"Come now," Kain said, waving his hand forward. "Surely, you could make an exception for a new friend. I intend to only extend the hand of friendship with the nobles here in Mist. If I cannot enter, how will accomplish my task?"

The bouncer blinked and rubbed his head. "Well... I..."

"What's going on?" said a familiar, harsh voice from behind the bouncer. Juste appeared and scowled; he was sober. "Well, well, if it isn't the dragoon. Trying to play for a noble are we?"

"Juste..." Kain started.

"No, there's nothing here for you," he growled. He turned to the bouncer. "Toss him onto the fields."

The bouncer nodded and with swift strength, he grabbed Kain by the neck of his collar and thrust him away from the pub. Kain was caught off-guard at the man's strength and found himself eating the dirt on the field. _I can take him... I was just... _He looked toward the pub and groaned. _Great, now there are two bouncers._

He spat the dirt out of his mouth and wiped off his clothes the best he could. Turning away, Kain headed back to the inn. _I wonder... what is he hiding?_ Perhaps nothing at all, but still it seemed too suspicious. _I will have to keep my eye on Rydia more now._


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Kain's armor was rather warm; he was keeping patrol around Rydia's house again with his eyes peeled for Juste, any of the nobles, or a different threat. _That is... if Juste really is a threat,_ he thought.

The morning sun showered its rays of light onto the beautiful town of Mist. It made the town shine; showing the image of its new life. Kain wondered why he hadn't noticed it before because it was his second day there.

_Second day..._ He paused and looked up into the sky. The time on this mission had felt longer than two days alone. But why? _I wonder if Cecil and Edge have gotten any information from that assassin?_

Edge. For some odd reason, Kain felt like he had a rival now; a challenger. Yet, he was the challenger and he knew very well why he was. _Two years versus my few weeks with Rydia._ Still, he couldn't be Edge's rival, could he?

"Hi, Kain."

He looked down from the sky to see Rydia smiling at him, and as always, he smiled back.

"Greetings, Rydia," he said. "Aren't you supposed to be teaching?"

She shook her head. "Not today; it's a holiday, so I get today for myself." But then, she sighed longingly and looked toward the field in front of her house.

"What is it?" Kain asked.

Rydia turned back and smiled at him. "Sometimes... I miss them—the children. Even when I get a day off, it feels... lonely." She turned her back to the house and leaned against the wall.

"I see... that's why you often visit Cecil and Rosa on the weekends," Kain noted.

"Yes," Rydia responded. "I don't like to be all by myself for three days."

Kain licked his lips. Was this a chance? An opportunity? "Perhaps... I could spend some time with you today?"

He thought he saw Rydia blush, but maybe that was just his imagination. She turned her face to his, her characteristic smile on her face. "Sure, I wouldn't mind being around you at all. What do you want to do?"

The courting gears in Kain's head turned and squeaked loudly against one another. "Ah! How about we go to Kaipo? It's a nice place to spend some time together. You would also be safer there." He swallowed, would she accept?

She perked up, beaming. "Oh! That sounds great, but Kaipo is quite a ways from here, and I don't own a hovercraft."

"What about chocobos?" Kain suggested. "There's a stables here, correct? And Kaipo should have a stables as well."

There was a pause and then she nodded at him. "That would work. Well," she said, walking up to him. "Let's go. ... well, I'm not sure your armor would be appropriate."

"Unfortunately, my ball outfit is filthy right now," Kain said with a half-frown. "I went to Juste's private pub for any information, but he saw me and had the bouncer throw me into the dirt. It stained my clothes to say the least."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rydia said with a frown. "I can ask Elena if she can clean them. But, you also have some casual clothes with you that you could take, right?"

Kain nodded. "I do," he said. "And I would appreciate it if Elena is willing to clean my ball outfit."

"Good," Rydia said with a more confident nod. "Go get go your clothes, and I'll take them to Elena."

-S-

Elena had happily taken Kain's ball outfit and washed it. It took a few hours to clean it, but it was eventually returned to Kain.

"Here you are, Master Highwind," Elena had said when she handed him the bundle of clothes. "I'm sorry for the long wait," she apologized.

"It's not a problem," Kain said, waving the apology away. He took the clothes, and put them in a sack. He swung it over his shoulder. "Where is Rydia?"

"She's waiting for you at the edge of Mist on the road to Kaipo," Elena said with a smile. "Please take care of her for us."

Kain smiled. "It won't be a problem," he said with confidence.

With that, he said his farewells to her and then headed east toward the chasm district of Mist. Called as such because of the chasm that used to exist there.

When he arrived, he found Rydia waiting for him with a couple of chocobos. She smiled at his approach. She was wearing her typical green outfit; looking beautiful as usual.

"Hello, Kain!" she said. "Did you get your clothes from Elena?"

"Yes, I did," he said, returning the smile. "She did an excellent job at cleaning them."

"Good," Rydia said with a grin. "Here, I rented a couple of chocobos for us. And I have everything I need." She climbed onto the back of one of birds.

"All right," Kain nodded. "Shall we be off then?" he asked as he climbed onto the other chocobo. He glanced at the summoner, who smiled back at him.

"Yes."

-S-

Rydia wasn't sure what to think; except that she understood Kain's motive. She had no problem with it, though, because she was starting to feel more comfortable in his presence. _Just like when Edge and I were starting to get along,_ she thought with a smile, though the thought of Edge made her slightly nervous. _Kill those nerves. Just enjoy yourself today._

At the same time, she appreciated his willingness to share his time with her.

"So, where in Kaipo are you going to take me, Kain?" She asked, smiling at him. Her awkward shyness from earlier had fled from her.

"I'm actually not sure," Kain admitted. He was wearing his armor. "It's been a long time."

Rydia laughed. "Oh, don't worry, I don't know anything about the new Kaipo either," she said cheerfully. "So, you're in good company."

Kain smiled back at her; his expression made her feel relaxed. She had strange feelings in her heart; actually, these feelings weren't strange, but familiar to her. She would have to see how they would evolve.

Soon, they reached Kaipo; Rydia and Kain were discussing various subjects with each other. When they arrived at the town, the sun was late in the sky, marking the afternoon.

They stopped at the front gate of the town; it was actually an open portal. _That hasn't changed. _Rydia took Kain's hand as he helped her dismount from her chocobo. She smiled at him.

The chocobo stabler took their chocobos, and he was paid by Kain to keep them overnight. That is, after he asked Rydia what her schedule was for the next day.

"Oh!" she had said. Another smile spread over her face. "Thank you for asking, Kain. Tomorrow's a 'late' day. That means we start late—in the afternoon. So, if we get up early, I'll make it in time for school."

"Wonderful," Kain had said to her. Thus, after the chocobos had been stabled, Kain led Rydia into Kaipo.

The town, like Mist, had expanded; Rydia could see that it had only extended west and east because of the lake north blocking any progress. However, what Rydia did see impressed her. There were beautiful roads of grass and a town square in the middle. It was as if Kaipo had become a true Oasis.

Rydia allowed herself to be led by Kain to the inn. She took in the desert air, mixed with fresh water, and the greens. Smiling to herself, she passed into the inn as Kain, again, held the door for her.

"Welcome! Welcome!" said the innkeeper. "What can I do for you, lovely couple?"

Rydia blushed. "Um... we're not a couple, just friends," she said, her voice came out to be more awkward than she expected. "I... err... we're just spending some time together."

"Oh, really?" the innkeeper said, wiggling his brows and making Rydia more uncomfortable.

"Ah, it's nothing like that," Kain said. Rydia noticed he was slightly pink, too, and she relaxed. She wasn't alone. "We wanted to explore the town, that's all." Before the innkeeper could respond, Kain added, "we're looking for separate rooms. What do you have available?"

The innkeeper appeared to be slightly disappointed. "Very well, there are two rooms upstairs, fifty gil per room," He said.

As Rydia took out her coin purse to pay, she noticed that Kain already paid the one-hundred bill. She smiled; she always liked being treated like a lady.

The innkeeper grabbed two keys and led Rydia and Kain up the stairs to their rooms. Rydia thought it was fortunate to have Kain's room next to her; she'd be protected at night. After receiving her key, she turned to Kain.

"So, where to?" she asked.

"My pardons, but I need to change," Kain said. "I don't think my armor is appropriate."

Rydia nodded. "Yes, I agree. Go change, I'll wait outside," she said, waving him away. Kain smiled at her and entered his room.

She then leaned against the wall, smiling to herself. Finally, she wasn't lonely—at least today she wasn't. Rydia began to wonder. _Could Kain...? No, no._ She shook her head. _No, we're just friends._

-S-

It wasn't long until Kain returned; Rydia thought that he looked quite handsome in his fancy outfit as he did the night of the ball. It made her wonder if she should had brought her black robes.

"Well," she said. "Where to, Kain? You're the leader." She giggled.

"I think... why don't we go to the house where Rosa was when she was ill with Desert Fever?" Kain asked. "It might bring back some memories for you."

Rydia smiled. "That sounds good. Let's go then," she said with an approving nod.

They exited the inn; Rydia avoided the eyes of the innkeeper's as Kain opened the door for her. "I'm glad he didn't make any comments on your outfit," she said with an exhale of relief. "I mean no disrespect, though. You look quite handsome, but that innkeeper just... made me feel edgy."

He looked at her and smiled. "Just like you said earlier, you're in good company," Kain said. "But don't let it bother you."

"Yes, you're right," she said, returning his smile. "Well... if I recall correctly, Rosa stayed in a house in the northeast section of Kaipo."

Kain nodded, and beckoned her in that direction; Rydia followed him.

What she saw astounded her; the buildings were similar in build to the originals in old Kaipo, but now, they arching doorways with engraven stonework. Beautiful symbols of the wind were drawn over the walls, and there were dust cloud markings to match.

"Wow! Very fancy," she remarked, looking at all the buildings.

"It was not like this before?" Kain asked. Rydia nodded at him with a pleasant smile. "A wonderful surprise for sure then."

Rydia nodded again. She turned her attention toward a non-descript building that, despite its plainness, stood out among the fancy noble-like houses.

"Oh! I think that house is it, Kain," Rydia said, pointing it out to him. "Come, let's see how they are doing." She beckoned him toward the building.

"'They?' Who are 'they?'" He asked, blinkng. He didn't a response; he headed toward the house, his footsteps crunching the grass underneath.

Rydia looked over at him. "There's an elderly couple here, I wonder what's happening with them," she explained. She opened the door hastily, forgetting to let Kain open it for her, and almost ran inside.

She heard the door close behind her, and she saw a startled old lady near the end of the house. "Oh my! Do you not have any manners?" she asked with a frown. "You should at least knock on the door before barging in."

"I'm sorry," Rydia said. "But I came here as a child to look after a ill friend tw—a long time ago," she added quickly. "This is my friend Kain."

"My pardons for waltzing through your door," he said, standing beside Rydia.

"Well, I accept your apologies, but please be careful," the elderly lady said, her voice softening. "My husband is... is... well..." She swallowed and bit her lip.

Rydia's heart became cold, and she sagged her shoulders. "What's happened to him?" She recalled the lady's husband as a healthy old man who had watched over Rosa like she were his own daughter.

"He's ill with..." she started again, but couldn't seem to finish. "Come see for yourself."

She and Kain exchanged glances; he looked just as concerned as Rydia felt. That comforted her a little... just a little.

Rydia and Kain followed the elderly lady to the bed where Rosa had stayed. The old man was resting there; and when Rydia saw the old man's face, she gasped.

"He has... Desert Fever!" she exclaimed.

"Shh! Keep your voice down, child," the lady said to Rydia. She bowed apologetically, and then made a gesture that said: "may I see him?" The lady nodded.

Rydia walked over to the old man; he was even more pale than Rosa was; at least as far as Rydia could remember. She knelt down next to his bed, and she saw Kain follow suit.

"Who... who is... there?" the old man said, coughing. "I can barely see..."

She smiled. "I'm Rydia. Do you remember me? I was a child when we last met," she said to him.

Silence. Rydia looked at Kain for support, but he was biting his lip. Without any magic, she knew Kain could do little to help the old man. She frowned sadly. _Maybe we can get a Sand Pearl? But isn't the last antlion dead?_

"Oh, you're that dear child with green hair," the old man said, his face spreading into a smile. "How kind of you to come visit someone you barely knew." He coughed violently. "I think these old bones... are about to rest in the earth."

"No," Rydia said. She shook her head. "No, no, no. I have a friend who's a powerful white mage, maybe she can heal you?" She clasped her hands together, and again looked to Kain. This time, the dragoon patted her on the back.

"Ah," the old man said, reaching out for Rydia. She took his hand and bit her lip. "You mean the young lady we took care of here? The one who is the queen..." He coughed. "The queen of Baron? Oh... she... huff... doesn't need to be bothered with an old man like me."

"But... you'll die," Rydia said.

"You barely know me, child, and yet you have such compassion?" He coughed heavily again. "That makes me happy. Huff... thank you for coming. It was kind of you." The old man coughed violently again. Rydia held onto his hand as she could stabilize him with her grasp.

"Dear..." the old lady said. There was a pause and the old man exhaled slowly. "Dear...? Dear...!" She fell upon her husband. "No! No... you old fool! Don't leave me alone!" She sobbed as clasped the dead man's shirt.

Tears broke through Rydia's eyes, and she placed her hands in her face. "I'm so... so... sorry," she said. "I wish we could have done something for him."

Kain finally spoke. "Yes..." Rydia looked over to see Kain close the old man's eyes. "Rest in peace," he said quietly.

"Don't worry," the elderly lady said. "He died... peacefully and happily because you came, dear child." She smiled at Rydia. "Thank you. My heart would be heavier right now if it weren't for you."

-S-

Kain led Rydia out of the house, rubbing her back with compassion and watched her sob. _What can I do?_ He thought. _Is there anything I can do to comfort her?_

Then, she spoke. "Kain, thank you for coming with me—thank you for bringing me here," she said with a sniffle. She smiled at him and placed her hands behind her back. Her emerald eyes were shimmering with tears. It was beautiful, yet sad at the same time.

"You're welcome," he said. "I'm sorry you had to see him die."

"No, it's all right," she said, wiping her eyes. "I may be sad, but I'm also happy to have comforted him before death." There was a pause between the two, and the Rydia embraced Kain. "Also, thank you for spending time with me... I really appreciated it."

Despite her sorrow, Kain felt warm and comfortable in her hold. He returned the embrace and said, "of course. I'm glad to have been of assistance."

They let each go, and Rydia asked him, "so... where do we go from here?"

"How about the lake?" Kain suggested. The evening sun was setting in the distance and was reflecting its light off the water. He couldn't help but smile.

"Sure," Rydia said. "It looks lovely over there. Do... you mind if I... um... err... nevermind."

"What is it?" Kain asked, he looked at her with curiosity.

"Well, I..." She swallowed. "I just wanted to... take your arm."

Kain smiled at her and said. "Of course," he said. "Come." She moved over to him and they linked arms and then walked toward the lake where they spent the rest of the evening together.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Edge and Cecil finally emerged from the dungeons; it was already night-time—had they really been torturing the assassin for that long? Edge's stomach twisted. "Ugh... those screams..." he groaned. "I'm going to have nightmares tonight."

"I share your pain, Edge," Cecil said with a disgusted sigh. "I really wished we hadn't to resort to torture."

"Worse, he didn't tell us anything new," he said with a frown.

Cecil sighed. Did they really have to think of another human being like that? "I think it's time for Kain to send me another report, and possibly have him return to Baron," he said.

"Oh, good," Edge said with a relieved sigh.

Cecil frowned, continuing to ascend the stairs into the dungeon. Dare he ask? "Edge... what's going on?" he asked, keeping his tone soft and understanding. "Is this about Rydia still?"

Edge paused, still walking. "Yes, it is," he said. Cecil saw his hands curl into angry fists. "Kain's been charming her while at Mist. I want to punch him in the face."

"Edge, that's not going to help," Cecil said. "You know Kain has an arrogant streak and believes he can top anyone in battle. Granted, these last two years have softened him, yet... don't provoke him."

"Hmph. I can't promise you anything, Cecil," he said with a harsh voice. "I will not allow him to lure Rydia. I've tried for years to help her, and I'll be damned if I don't try to fight for her."

"You don't own her, Edge," Cecil said with a warning voice. "I almost made that mistake with Rosa when Kain and I were competing for her affections."

"I know I don't own Rydia," Edge said. "I love her, and I want her to be happy."

"If that's so, avoid provoking Kain." Cecil suggested. "And instead, work on getting her attention back."

Edge remained silent, and Cecil had a very bad feeling that the prince was not listening to him. But he hoped that he would come to reason and avoid conflict.

"I'll return later," Edge said after a moment. "I want to hear how she's doing from Kain's report." Cecil bit his lip. Was this a bad thing or a good thing? Most likely, bad.

"Very well," Cecil said slowly. "If you'll excuse me," he said, turning around. He left the dungeon and headed to his quarters. He headed up the west tower and entered his room. There, Cecil closed the door behind him, a strong sense of foreboding overcoming him.

_Maybe I shouldn't call Kain back...? But that could make Edge even angrier, to the point that he might go to Mist to 'settle' things with him. Yet if I call Kain back..._

Cecil sighed; what was he to do? He put his hand under his chin, working his jaw. _I'm going to have to risk calling him back. It may cause trouble here at the castle, but better here than Mist. __Especially if Rydia can avoid the conflict._

Cecil walked to his desk and sat down. He took his quill and began to write his epistle, hoping that he was not making a dire mistake.

-S-

They had stayed the night in their separate rooms and now were heading back to Mist on chocobo. It was afternoon, and they were getting close. Kain had donned his armor and weapons on the way back; he wanted to be prepared for anything, however...

He was feeling especially happy—happy in such a way that he hadn't been in a very long time. _Not since... _

"Kain?" Rydia's voice breaking him from his thoughts. "You look rather pleased."

He smiled at her. "I enjoyed your presence yesterday, to be honest," he said. He took in a deep breath; surely Rydia was comfortable around him by now.

She laughed, and smiled back at him. "Thank you," she said, looking rather striking.

It was odd. Ever since Kain had felt himself drawing closer to Rydia, the imperfections in her seemed to be washed away, and she was flawless. She was more beautiful than on the day that he ran into her on Mist's mountainside, and she seemed to be just as pleased as himself to be around him.

"Yes, I had an enjoyable time yesterday, too," she said, beaming at him.

He looked upon her with fondness, thinking about how much had changed in almost a month since he returned to Baron.

Soon, the gates of Mist appeared in the distance, and Rydia hastened her chocobo forward. It didn't surprise Kain; it may have been a late day, but he knew that Rydia had little time before her class began.

Kain pushed his chocobo forward to catch up with Rydia in order to keep his mission's objectives... and his own personal promise.

It wasn't long after that Kain and Rydia arrived at the gates. The guard greeted her, "good day, Miss Rydia, and Master Highwind," he added upon seeing Kain.

"Indeed," Kain said. He dismounted his chocobo and then assisted Rydia off of her own. "Anything important happen while we were gone?"

"Nothing, save a messenger with an epistle from the king for you."

Kain, letting go of Rydia's hand, blinked. "Really?" He exchanged glances with Rydia. "Where is the messenger?" he asked.

The guard smiled. "Still in the town, awaiting your arrival. I don't know his specific location, however."

"Very well," Kain said. "I will find him myself."

"He's probably either waiting at the inn or my house," Rydia said. "Or maybe the town square."

"That gives us three locations to search," Kain noted. "We will take our leave," he said to the guard with a friendly nod.

"Yes, please keep guarding Mist," Rydia chimed in. "You're doing a wonderful job."

Kain was certain that the guard blushed, but it didn't bother him. The guard bowed his head to her. "Thank you, milady."

Rydia smiled at him. The guard opened the gates for her and Kain, and the two entered the town.

It was lively as ever; especially when Kain arrived at the town square. The people of Mist were trading with the merchants of Baron and Kaipo. He thought he also recognized some traders from Damcyan due to their guards with the Damcyan insignia on their tabards.

_It is truly amazing what Rydia has done for this town. I hope her dream comes to pass._

"Kain?" Rydia said. He turned his attention to her. "I don't see a Baron messenger around the square. What about you?"

He scanned the area for someone with a Baron tabard, and did not see any save a few guards wearing them. He rubbed his chin and said, "it looks like he might be at the inn, we—"

"Master Highwind!" a voice called out. Kain spun in the direction of the voice and saw a man with a Baron tabard over his body and a letter in hand. "There you are! The king has an epistle for you to read. It's been marked as urgent."

Kain blinked. What happened at the castle? He felt concerned, but at the same time, he knew Cecil and his men, and Rosa were far capable of handling themselves. "Give it to me, if you would," he said.

"Of course, it's for you, Master Highwind," the messenger said with a chuckle. He handed the epistle to Kain. "I will be staying for a few hours in case you desire to send a return letter to his majesty."

"I will," Kain said. "So, please do stay. I will be at the inn if you need me."

"Yes, sir!" the messenger bowed and walked away from the two.

"A message?" Rydia mused. She looked at Kain. "I wonder what it's about?"

"I am also curious," Kain said to her. "However, it's most likely for my eyes only. You best head home." He looked at her again. "Don't worry, after I read and send my reply, I'll return to protect you."

Rydia beamed. "Thank you so much, Kain." She blushed and there was an awkward pause before she gave him a hug. "I'm glad you're here." She let go and then walked away to her home.

Kain sighed with a smile, watching her leave. _I can't make you any promises, Edge. In fact, I think there is no possible way for me to make any promise to you._

After pausing for a moment, Kain then looked at the sealed epistle. He pondered what could be inside and what was so urgent about it. He then went to the inn, checked in, and went to his room. Removing his helmet and setting it on the desk, Kain sat down and opened the epistle.

_To my friend, and Captain of the Red Wings Kain Highwind,_

_ I've had a most disturbing turn of events. The assassin told us a little about why he tried to kill Rydia, but even under extreme torture (which I did not, either did Edge, enjoy watching), would say nothing else. He did tell us that the shuriken he used in an attempt to kill Rydia was his own, and not connected to his 'client.' Apparently, the client only gave him instructions, and nothing else. Unfortunately, that is all the information we were able to get out of him._

_ Someone is after Rydia as we expected, but who is pulling the strings? When Rydia comes to visit Baron on the weekend, please escort her. However, after she leaves, please remain at Baron as I need you there. I'll send some troops to watch Rydia in your place._

_ Also, I need an update on Rydia's status before you come you return to Baron. Send me what has been happening as soon as possible. My original plan was to have Cid come pick you up, but it might be safer if you escort her._

_ Another thing I should warn you about is Edge. He has grown very angry about the time you've spent with Rydia, and I imagine he will be here this weekend to 'settle' things between you and himself. Be warned, keep your pride at a minimum, and do not be provoked by him._

_ Best wishes to you, my friend,_

_ King Cecil Harvey of Baron._

Kain blinked, and then read the epistle again—primarily the section about Edge. He frowned, and exhaled. _I suppose I am trespassing on his 'territory,' but..._ He thought about himself and Rydia. Days ago, he would have just considered himself her friend.

Yet, the things that had happened began to change his heart and give him hope. They were more than friends now, and it was up to Rydia—not Edge—to decide.

What disturbed him further was the fact that there was truly someone hiring others to murder Rydia. Indeed, she could handle one assassin, but what about two, three, four, or more? Therefore, why was Cecil calling him back? He was concerned; could these troops manage multiple assassins if it came to it? Would they even catch them in time?

_I am becoming far too worried about this for my own good. Rydia is a capable woman, she will __be fine. _Yet, he did not feel convinced.

Kain took his quill pen from his sack along with the ink bottle, and began to write a return epistle to Cecil.

_To His Majesty, and my old friend Cecil Harvey,_

_ I am disturbed to hear that you had to use torture as a means of receiving more information, save that you received none. It has always been one of your characteristics to hate torture and despise the use of it._

_ Rydia is safe. I took her to Kaipo for her own safety just in case because she had a free day. She is currently back at Mist and teaching her students. No, there were no more attempts on Rydia's life, but I felt it best to take her there in case any more assassins took advantage of her._

_ I'm sorry to hear that Edge is becoming angry. I will follow your orders, and escort Rydia to Baron when the weekend comes._

_ Good health to you,_

_ Kain Highwind_

He read it over a couple of times and then nodded in self-approval. He sealed the letter and stood up from his desk to find the messenger.

-S-

The weekend arrived quickly, and Kain felt a little disappointed; saddened even. He was going to miss Rydia. Yet, it comforted him to know that Cecil would most likely allow him to visit her on occasion.

He thought about that night with Rydia; quiet, peaceful, and comfortable. It had been years since he had felt that type of comfort.

Soon, Rydia arrived at the edge of Mist at the cavern district, she greeted him pleasantly.

"Hello, Kain!" she said, smiling brightly. "How are you this early morning?"

Kain couldn't help himself and smiled back at the summoner. "I am well. I am a little concerned about my return to Baron for your sake, but Cecil promised troops to protect you," he explained. "Regardless, your presence is most welcome."

He thought she blushed, in fact, he was sure of it. "Oh, well, I know they aren't as good as you are, but I'm sure the soldiers Cecil sends will help keep me safe," she said. Rydia paused for a moment, and then added, "my children—my students said they were going to miss you."

Kain felt surprised, and taken aback. "Really?" he said. "I did not realize they had been so taken with me."

"Yes, they are," Rydia said. She had her hands behind her back, but she seemed confident. "Come, let's go to Baron."

Kain nodded and led Rydia out of the town's boundaries. Together, they headed toward the Mist Cave. He had both lances crossed on his back in case of an ambush, and was wearing his dragon armor as well.

"So," Rydia spoke up. Kain noticed the dragon whisker coiled at her side. "What do you... think of... um... Mist?" she said with forced pauses.

Kain smiled, and he assumed she had meant to ask something else. "I think it's a fine town. You have done a wonderful job bringing back to life," he said, looking at her as they walked.

"Thank you," she said with a kind smile. "Oh! I forgot... you already told me what you thought when you... ah, nevermind," she added, an increase of confidence in her voice. "It's nice of you to say so, regardless."

"You're welcome, Rydia," he said, taking the lead again. Kain then checked to make sure that she was keeping up. She was doing more than that; the summoner was walking beside him.

He smiled to himself, feeling happy. _I used to be so sour... and jealous years ago. Yet now... have things changed for the better?_ Nothing could go wrong anymore.

-S-

Cecil was on edge and yet pleased when Rydia and Kain arrived that evening at Baron. He saw Kain help Rydia off her chocobo; that wasn't what bothered him—it was how long they held each other's hand before releasing. Their smiles were brighter than usual—especially Kain's—and they had a tendency to look at each other tenderly.

_Good for you, Kain, _Cecil thought. _Yet, I fear Edge's reaction._ He probably wasn't the only one. He knew Rydia would be anxious about Edge; however, she seemed rather content with Kain. _Is it really such a terrible thing that he's finally found something to be happy with?_ No, but Cecil could already see the rough road ahead for Kain and Rydia.

Cecil removed himself from the battlement above and swiftly made his way to the front gate. It opened just as he arrived and saw Kain and Rydia walking pass.

Cecil smiled. "Welcome back, Kain," he said. He turned to Rydia and nodded. "To you as well, little sister." Rydia walked up to him and embraced Cecil. He chuckled and then let go of her.

"Thank you, Cecil," Kain said. "Did you receive my reply epistle?"

"I did," he said with a nod. "I am thinking that..." He stopped and glanced at a curious Rydia. "Nevermind, you two must be tired. Come and rest, my friends." Cecil waited a moment, and then turned around, leading Kain and Rydia into the castle.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"Cecil? What did you mean back there at the gate?" Rydia asked as he led Kain and her through the castle corridors. "Is there something you can't tell me?"

"Oh no, that's not it," Cecil said with a smile. "We'll share the information with you later since you have a right to know. However, I feel like it would be best if you take a respite first before hearing what happened to the assassin."

Rydia nodded. "Very well," she said. She continued to walk at Kain's side with the occasional glance at him; smiling every time she looked. She yawned and her muscles felt fatigued. There had been monsters this time around, so Rydia felt slightly drained from casting spells.

Fortunately, a Baron Guard had come to intercept them and had relieved Rydia of her bags.

Kain, on the other hand, appeared to be quite awake, but perhaps that was due to his training as a warrior. Then, he caught her eye.

"You seem exhausted, Rydia," Kain noted, extending his arm to her. "I trust you know where your room is?"

"Yes, I do," she said with another yawn. "Why do you ask?"

Kain smiled gently at her. "I was wondering if you needed any assistance making your way there."

"Thank you for the thought, Kain, but I'm sure I can manage," she said with a giggle. She gave him an appreciative hug. Then, Rydia saw Cecil glancing back at them with a smirk. She blushed, but then released Kain, feeling relaxed. _What was that smirk? I wonder how much Cecil knows?_ Rydia wondered.

She continued down the corridors with the two men and then parted ways at the inner staircase. They headed for the west tower while Rydia headed for her room set in the middle of the castle (after retrieving her bags from the guard).

Opening and closing her door, Rydia dropped her bags on the floor, and fell into bed. She was about to close her eyes when she noticed the Shadow Flowers that Edge had given her long ago in a vase filled with water.

She sat up in her bed, and picked up the vase, admiring the dark purple petals on each flower. As she shifted the flowers into the darkness, their color changed to a deep dark blue. She almost felt guilty looking at them.

_"Do you like them?"_

_ "Yes, I do. Thank you, Edge. It's very sweet of you. … I promise to take care of them."_

What would she do with them now that someone else was entering her life? _I won't get rid of them, that's for sure. I don't want to hurt Edge's feelings. But what do I do if Kain...?_ She shook her head and put the flowers aside. What was she to do? She couldn't deny it any longer—she had two men in her life, both competing for her affections, and her heart was wondering who to choose.

It was just like her decision for the ball—almost a shadow of what had to come.

She put the flowers down on her nightstand and sighed thoughtfully. Rydia rested her head on her pillow and oddly enough, she didn't feel tired anymore. Instead, she was filled with confusion and guilt. Things that followed her into her dreams when she finally fell asleep.

-S-

Kain was up early; he had to because Cecil had already assigned him a task with the Red Wings.

_"There's rumors of more movement of these rebels around Damcyan. I would like you to investigate."_

He kept wondering; what did these bandits want? They seemed to be dancing between Mist and Damcyan, and yet Kain couldn't put his finger on their intentions. Was it Rydia's life? Or perhaps they were after Edward?

Making his way toward the airship platform, Kain heard a blast of smoke behind him, along with an angry voice. "So, you took my girl to Kaipo for 'safety,' eh?"

Kain turned around. "Hello, Edge," he said. "Is there something I can do for you?" He frowned, he had never seen Edge so angry before. "I did take her there for her safety."

"Liar. You went there to court her," Edge spat. "And now I keep hearing her talk about you, _and_ I read your report. You're wimping out, eh? Trying to avoid conflict?"

"I am no coward," Kain said, his anger rising. He would not shame the dragoons. "Leave now, this will only end in pain."

"Oh yes," Edge said, his eyes gleaming with ire. _"Your _pain! Get your filthy dragoon hands off Rydia!"

"You do not own her, Edge," Kain said. He kept Cecil's warning in his mind, but he was starting to second guess it. "She has her own mind—"

"Do you think I don't know that?" he growled. He cracked his knuckles. "You fin-headed loser, of course she has her own mind! I've been courting her for two years now, and the only thing holding us back is her dream of hers!"

Kain tried to remain calm; exhaling, he said, "and you do not admire her dream?"

"I damn do admire her dream, Kain! That's why I've been trying to help her!" Edge snarled. "But a filthy little dragoon keeps swarming his hands all over her! Getting in _my_ way!" Before Kain could say a thing, the ninja punched him in the face.

"Ugh! What...?" Kain wiped his face. Blood. He grit his teeth with rising anger.

"Let's see what you're really made of," Edge said coolly. "No jumping, no ninjustu, no weapons! I wanna see if you can actually fight with your fists!" He tried to punch Kain again, but the dragoon shifted to the right, avoiding it.

"Hmph. Seems you do want a fight...!" _I'm sorry, Cecil._ Kain landed his fist in Edge's stomach, and slammed him in the head, knocking him to the ground.

Edge back-flipped onto his feet, and growled. Kain could see that his mask was a reddish color. He moved in for another attack and swung, but Edge blocked it with his arm, and then kicked Kain's groin. If it weren't for his armor, that would have hurt. Even so, his opponent's kicks were strong and the attack stung him.

"I thought you said 'fists only,' Kain said, ducking an attack from Edge.

"I lied!" He snapped. Edge pummeled Kain's chest and waist, bloodying his knuckles on the armor. He came in and slammed his fist into Kain's face, and then knocked his helmet off and head-butted him.

Kain stumbled back. _Blast, never let your guard down because you underestimated your opponent!_ His head felt like it was burning.

Edge snorted. "Not so great without your helmet, eh?" he taunted. "I wanna see if you can survive another one of those!"

"So be it!" Kain growled. He kicked Edge's side, knocking the ninja over, and then picked him up by the collar. Kain then proceeded to punch the ninja's face repeatedly. "Grah!" His eyes went wide as Edge launched both feet into his stomach, knocking him down.

They dashed at each other, fists raised.

"_Kain! Edge! What on earth are you doing?!_"

They stopped at the same time; dread filled Kain's heart as he saw a shocked Rydia behind Edge, standing in front of a portal to the inner castle. The ninja spun around and then stumbled back into Kain, nearly knocking him over.

"What... what is going on?" Rydia breathed, hands on hips, fire in her eyes. "Don't tell me you were fighting over me!" Her voice couldn't have been louder than a dragon's.

Kain heard Edge swallow nervously. "Dammit," he muttered. Kain hoped that only he was able to hear that.

"It... was... Rydia..." Edge stammered.

"Yes, we were," Kain said, hanging his head. Why didn't the brawl remind him of Rosa and his mistake with her? "I..."

"I can't believe you two!" Rydia yelled. Fire and water sharing the same space in her eyes. She spun around and entered the castle.

_I cannot waste time!_ "Wait!" Kain called out. He rushed for the portal when he felt an arm grab his shoulder. He glared at Edge. "What are you doing now?!"

"Don't go after her now, not yet," Edge said, sounding much more sober this time. "She'll be even angrier with you and probably slap or whip you. Maybe both." He licked his lips.

"Why are you warning me about this?"

"I... We hurt her feelings badly," Edge said, removing his hand from Kain's shoulder. "It's not a good idea to ask for forgiveness now, just wait. I don't want to see her hurt more."

"This seems odd," Kain said. His voice was curious, yet anxious. "Why? We were just beating each other and now you want a truce?"

"I'll be damned if I don't," Edge said, exhaling. "I forgot about this type of thing about girls; you're never supposed to fight over them. ...You love her, right?"

"I... I... I'm not certain to be honest.

"But I bet you _feel _that emotion," Edge said. He took off his mask and wiped the blood off his mouth. He was frowning sadly. "Regardless, you have to give it a day or two before she's... calm enough to talk; we both have to. Listen, for Rydia's sake... let's not brawl again. I'm sorry I started it—I let my anger get the better of me. Promise?"

"I promise," Kain said, feeling that his intentions were genuine. "But... I'm just as guilty. You read the report, you know Cecil warned me. I let the remaining bit of pride in me to agree to the fight."

"Whatever," Edge said, shaking his head. "Regardless... if we compete for her, we compete for her attention now. Goodness, how could I have forgotten?"

Kain said nothing. He just watched Edge jumped onto one of the battlements and then leap off, vanishing in a puff of smoke. Kain looked at his discarded helmet.

_"Goodness, how could I have forgotten?"_

Kain frowned, and put his face in his hands. "Indeed... how could _I_ have forgotten?"

-S-

"So, that's what happened," Rosa said to Rydia. She embraced her, and stroke her head.

Rydia was hiding herself in Cecil and Rosa's room. Tears streamed down her face as she recollected seeing Kain and Edge bleeding and hitting each other fiercely. Did this really had to happen to her? _Why Edge? Why Kain?_

"Ugh! It's so awful! They are so selfish!" Rydia pouted. "Thinking they could win my heart by fighting each other! I don't want to see them hurt each other! Rosa..." She wept, embracing her 'older sister' back.

"I know how you feel, dear," Rosa said softly over Rydia's sobs.

"How?" she asked, looking up at Rosa. "Did Kain and Cecil...?" Rosa nodded solemnly. "Oh, how terrible! I didn't think Cecil would do such a thing!"

"He has changed a lot since that incident between him and Kain," she said, releasing Rydia and patting her back. "Dear Rydia, I'm so sorry you had to suffer this. I didn't think Kain was still arrogant enough to..."

"So did I!" Rydia sobbed. "It seems so sudden... he was much more humble before. Timid even at times. Why did he...?" She growled and cast a weak ice spell on the ground, damaging the carpet. She exhaled multiple times and then looked back at Rosa. "S-sorry..."

"Anger seems to get the best of us," Rosa said. She looked away, and her face was also very sad looking. "I'm truly sorry. I didn't want you to suffer this pain... especially since you seemed to become so... curious about Kain. I had hoped that you wouldn't have to endure this."

"If any of them come running to me _now_, I _won't_ forgive them!" Rydia said with anger, tears still streaming down her face.

"I felt the same way," Rosa said softly.

"You did?"

"Yes, and they were both wise enough to wait until apologizing to me," Rosa said, rubbing Rydia's back. "In a way, this incident is good because if you hadn't caught them..."

"They either would have beaten each other to death or had other brawls behind my back," Rydia finished for Rosa.

"Yes," Rosa said. She sniffled, and Rydia felt like she was sharing a small bit of her pain. "Don't worry, dear, it will get better. Give it some time. I hate to say this, but avoid Edge and Kain for at least a day. You need space, and hopefully, they will be wise enough to give you some as well."

"All right," she said. "Thank you, Rosa." Rydia sighed in sorrow; pangs of hurt still in her heart, but she was a little more relaxed. Yet... the tears would not stop.

-S-

The rest of the day was painful for Kain. He hated playing this game of hide and seek (except without the seek part). Fortunately (or unfortunately?) he did not run into Rydia or Edge for the rest of day.

"What?! You fought with Edge over Rydia?" Cecil exclaimed when Kain told him. He seemed extremely offended, which wasn't surprising due to how Cecil saw Rydia. "Kain... I warned you not to! You've broken her heart! How could you? She's very a tender woman and needs to be respected! Not be a 'prize' to fight over!"

"I know," Kain said, hanging his head. "I feel very ashamed, and sorry that I... harmed your little sister." He gripped his lance. "I don't know if she'll ever forgive me. It took Rosa such a long time to."

Cecil sighed, and paused. He bit his lip. "Talk to Rydia tomorrow then. I promise that will work out better this time. But, please, don't hurt her anymore, Kain." He clenched his fists and looked away; an angry expression on his face. "I'm trying my best not to yell anymore at you for this."

"I'm truly sorry, Cecil." Kain looked away.

Silence.

"... I promise not to hurt her anymore," Kain added to break the quiet pause.

"All right," Cecil said. He looked back at Kain. "All in all, though, Rydia is the one you need to apologize to the most. I don't know if you and Edge made up, but..."

"We did, and we promised not to fight each other over her again," Kain explained to the paladin.

"Very good." Cecil sighed. "Well, it's best to go on your assigned mission," he said. "Concentrate on it and try not to think about Rydia or Edge or what has happened. You need to focus."

"I will do so," Kain said. "I will be back in the evening."

-S-

Edge had watched the Red Wings ascend into the sky after tending to his wounds. He felt so angry—angry at himself for being so foolish. Fool enough to start a fight with someone who wasn't even sure Rydia was in love with.

_Dammit, _Edge thought. _I've really dug myself a pit this time haven't I?_ He wondered how the damage could be repaired. He then remembered what he had told Kain. _I have to wait... and avoid Rydia? How? She's here at Baron._

Perhaps the only way was to return home to Eblan and wait until tomorrow. He couldn't contact her now.

He continued to watch the Red Wings fly through the skies in the distance, heading for Damcyan, until they vanished into the clouds.

_Kain..._ How did he capture Rydia's heart so fast? Or had he? Were they just very close friends now? He recalled what Cecil had said concerning the matter.

_"If that's so, avoid provoking Kain, and instead, work on getting her attention back."_

"'ey, Edge!" a voice said behind him. "You look rather down. What's the matter?"

Edge turned around slowly and saw Cid—arms folded, and head cocked to the left with a concerned frown on his face.

"Ah, Cid," Edge said, allowing himself to smile. "How did you know?"

"From your eyes, kid," Cid responded with a chuckle. "C'mon now, tell Uncle Cid what's botherin' ya," he added, punching Edge in the arm teasingly.

"Kain and I..." Edge started. He paused, and then went on to tell him about the brawl and Rydia's reaction. "I'm such a damn idiot for thinking I could impress her or get her back from Kain by beating him. I don't even know if the two are really in love yet!"

"Sounds like yer been berating yerself about this fer awhile," Cid said to him. "That was a pretty dumb thing to do, but it's over now, Edge, right? Ya can't change the past, might as well focus on yer future. I'm sure Rydia will forgive ya eventually. She always has."

Edge smiled. "Thanks, Cid, you're always the one to cheer others up."

"Of course, of course! Anything for my friends, unless you mash my babies!" he said with a laugh.

Edge shared his laugh.

"Besides, you know I have a daughter," Cid said. "Sometimes, she treats me like a husband. Doesn't bother me, except when she gets mad, but she always forgives me."

"After leaving her alone for some time, that is," Edge noted, nodding.

"Yeah, that's fer sure," Cid said with a nod. "I gotta avoid the house sometimes!" He guffawed. "But not all the time. I guess it's because she's my daughter, not a lover."

"Yes, that's probably true," Edge said. "I should have listened to Cecil..."

"Eh? Did he say something about it, too?"

"Well, before the brawl, he told me to try getting her attention back instead of fighting Kain. Of course, I didn't listen."

"Ah, I see," Cid said, working his jaw. "Well, has he chewed ya out yet fer it?"

"No," Edge replied. "I imagine he's been angry with Kain since he assigned him on a mission before we brawled."

"Yup, Cecil's probably chewed him out then," Cid said with a musing voice. "He's probably more angry than when Kain 'betrayed' us twice."

"No kidding. Especially since those 'betrayals' weren't really his fault," Edge responded. "Even if he had something of conscious while being controlled."

-S-

They never caught any rebels or any sign of them near Damcyan. Kain was getting more and more concerned for Rydia's life, and kept wondering what the rebels wanted. Perhaps they wanted to distract the Red Wings from Baron to attack the castle?

_That seems highly unlikely. Even without the Red Wings, the castle is guarded by soldiers, sun knights, and dragoons—all trained well in their own skills,_ Kain thought. Then he remembered the rebels that had stolen one of the Red Wings weeks back. _These rebels are indeed skilled._

Despite Cecil's advice, Kain couldn't help himself. _Rydia... I'm sorry..._ As if his thoughts could reach her. Was she still crying? Still suffering? He had no idea.

"Lord Captain!" one of the guards called Kain.

He shook himself from his thoughts and looked at the soldier. "Yes, what is it?"

"What exactly are we looking for? I understand that there might have been some rebel movement around Damcyan, but I'm growing concern for his majesty. Forgive me, but should we return to Baron?"

Kain paused. Perhaps if he hadn't fought Edge, he might have caught something—a trail, a rebel, or a sign of their movements. But all of that was lost in the sand of the desert.

Then, he nodded. "Yes, I think so." He turned to his men. "Change course! We are returning to Baron Castle! Even without any leads."

"Aye-aye, Lord Captain!" they said without hesitation. The soldiers sent signals to the other airships, and all them began to turn back to Baron.

It looked like Kain would arrive earlier than he thought; for the sun was barely setting. _I hope... that if I do run into Rydia... it will be favorable._


End file.
